Candid & Crafty

"Happy Haul-idays" from Chronicle Books

2010-12-07T21:30:00.000-08:00

Now, I know that the point of the holiday season isn't to see how big of a "haul" of presents you can get... but when one of my favorite publishers offers a giveaway like this, it's not possible to turn down.

Here's the deal:I sort through the massively huge list of drool-worthy books & crafty items on Chronicle's website, and choose $500 worth of products. Then I put up this blogpost and link to it here. All you have to do? Comment on this post, and if I win, you win too. Sounds good, right? That's what I thought too :)

So here I go... my ultimate wish-list of $500 worth of products from Chronicle Books:

For Crafting

Amy Butler's Style Stitches — $29.95 — I am fully addicted to making bags, as I'm sure my dear husband has learned over the last few years. So how could I possibly turn down a brand-new book from the lovely & talented Amy Butler? Even better, this book is designed to give the reader basic patterns which we then take and tweak to make it perfect just for us. Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot!
Lotta Jansdotter's Handmade Living — $29.95 — Confession: I am also addicted to Lotta Jansdotter. Not just to her books, but to her ideas, her sketches, her notecards, and everything she does as far as crafting goes. And the fact that this book includes recipe cards with classic Swedish dishes? It's almost too much of a good thing.
Whip Up Mini Quilts — $24.95 — I've always been intrigued by the idea of mini quilts, especially since Crazy Mom Quilts started talking about them a few years back (and especially when she posted about her liberty mini quilt). I have yet to try my hand at them, but maybe this book would give me the push that I need.
Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones — $24.95 — This book has been on my wish list for so long that I was having a hard time remembering if I already own it or if I just wish I did. Of course, with no kids of my own (yet), I really don't have the "need" to own a book on how to make little-people clothes (as the amazing Carolyn calls them), but since when does a crafting "want" have to be a "need"? ;)
The Pillow Book — $24.95 — Since Ember has a habit of claiming every pillow in our house, we can officially never have too many pillows, since one or more are always covered in dog hair. And every sewer worth her salt (where did that phrase come from, anyways?) knows that the easiest (and cheapest) way to redecorate is to throw a few new splashes of color around the room with new pillows. Yet another reason why you can never have too many pillows.
D.I.Y. (Design It Yourself) Deck: 25 Ways to Design Your World — $16.95 — I love the idea of this deck -- 25 projects that can change your wardrobe, your decor, and your house, all while teaching you the unique DIY style that so many of us have come to love.

For Someday

My Future Listography — $16.95 — isn't this the perfect follow-up to my 101 in 1001 Days goal? I can start my new list (see #101: on day 1001, publish a new 101 Things to do in 1001 Days list) in here, while admiring the beautiful artwork of the talented Nathaniel Russell.
Lotta Jansdotter Stencils — $24.95 — I've always been impressed by the intricate designs that can be created simply by stenciling a design on walls, and what a difference it makes in a room. This book could seriously come in handy when brainstorming ideas for a blank wall in a house that we actually own (someday).
Dorm Decor — $19.95 — Who doesn't love oversized pillows & stylish bulletin boards for inspiration? This how-to book on creating all of the most fashionable dorm decor will prove useful when I have a craft studio/room/corner to decorate (again, someday...).
Girl's World — $24.95 — This book is full to the brim with girly eye-candy that I'm sure so many young girls would love. I have a few girls who I consider "mine" until I have my own, and it would be so fun to design things for them out of this book.

For Organization

Lotta Jansdotter Notes & To Do's — $12.95 — With 50 sheets of colorful notepaper and 375 sticky notes, all decorated with Lotta's unique style (see above: addiction to Lotta Jansdotter), there's no chance of me forgetting anything in 2011 with this set by my side.
2011 Moleskine - Color a Month Daily Planner — $40 — I'm always needing notebooks to write things down in, and now, thanks to my mentor and the beautiful notebook she gave me, I'm becoming more & more dependent on having a notebook with me at all times. But between my notebooks, my brain, and my phone, I often have so many different schedules going at the same time that having one place to write it all down would be a lifesaver. Now the real question is, would I remember to switch it out every month?
Sukie's Noteblock — $14.95 — These noteblocks are so cute, and ever practical (see above: the necessity of having a notepad or paper available at all times).
Pocket Moleskine Volant Address Book Dark Pink — $8.95 — I think we currently have about three address books rattling around in drawers in the apartment, which is quite possible three too many, but until I figure out an easy way to maintain all of our family & friend's addresses and contact info where both Ryan & I can access it without having to turn on a computer, I need just one more so I can organize the rest. Perhaps this one will do the trick. (And, with the bright pink color, my chances of misplacing it like I have the other three, decreases significantly!)

For Traveling

Moleskine City Notebook: Stockholm — $17.95 — I do realize that it's December, but somewhere in my brain, it's still summer, and I just returned from my ever-so-short-but-amazing trip to Sweden. I mean, really, is it really almost 2011?? In any case, regardless of what month it is, I would have loved to have this moleskine with me for our one day in Stockholm, if for no other reason than to write down every single memory on the plane while flying home the next morning. Maybe the maps will job my memory enough to fill these pages five months later.
Moleskine City Notebook: New York — $17.95 — It's no secret to anyone who has spent much time with me that I'm 100% in love with New York City. I spent a grand total of six weeks there in the summer of 2006, and have dreamed of returning ever since (actually, it's another item on my list!). So this notebook could do one of two things: It could motivate me enough to start planning another trip that will come to fruition in the near future, or it could cause me to miss New York even more. I'm thinking it just might be worth it.
Moleskine City Notebook: San Francisco — $17.95 — How could I leave my very own beautiful city out of the mix when considering these travel moleskines? There is so much of San Francisco that I have yet to discover -- perhaps this notebook will help me do just that.

For Everything Else

Garden Anywhere — $24.95 — This book would normally be on the "For the Future" list, but since it's titled Garden Anywhere, I'm assuming that includes our 1000 square foot apartment with south-facing (and therefore sun-catching) balcony. The possibilities are endless!
Crafty Stickers — $10.95 — These stickers deserve to be on the list for no other reason than the fact that they are incredibly adorable. Enough said? I think so.
Dots & Jots Mix and Match Gift Bags — $9.95 — I'm deeming these highly necessary due to the fact that every time I go to grab a non-Christmas gift bag from our wrapping paper cupboard, I spend 10 minutes contemplating the fact that we don't actually have more than one or two non-Christmas gift bags, and definitely none that are appropriate for a 3-year-old's birthday party or Father's Day (note: I think currently we have one solid purple bag and one purple and green bag with a picture of a puppy on the front. See what I mean?) Therefore, this adorable grouping of bags and tags definitely need to be on my list.
Lotta Jansdotter Notecard Book — $15.95 — Now don't laugh at me. Yes, I realize this is the fifth Lotta Jansdotter item in my list, but hey -- I did tell you from the beginning that I'm thoroughly addicted. If you don't like it, you can move along. ;) These notecards display some of Lotta's unique drawing style, and might be the perfect thing to get me motivated as far as #98 (write 5 letters (a real, handwritten, old-fashioned, paper, envelope, and stamps, letter) to a friend or family member (Christmas cards don't count) ) on my list goes. Besides, you can never have enough pretty notepaper.
Everyday Celebrations — $24.95 — I'm big on spending as much time as possible with the people I love, and so I immediately loved the premise of this book: The closeness of family, the beauty of the seasons, laughter among friends, the festivity of a shared meal—why wait for the holidays to count our blessings and mark them by rejoicing? With both crafting and food recipes, this book combines everything I love about entertaining and spending time with family and friends.
Haven: Cozy Hideaways and Dream Retreats — $35 — My home is my haven, namely because of my husband, who makes wherever I am feel like home, but also because of the treasures we've surrounded ourselves with. Not expensive treasures, mind you, but things that are sentimental or special to us. I'm always looking for ways to make our apartment feel more "homey" and relaxing, and this book looks just about perfect.
Cath Kidston Masking Tape: Red Stars — $8.95 — One of the latest fads is decorative masking tape, and while I have to say that I didn't quite understand the attraction at first, I definitely understand it now! Who wouldn't want to wrap their Christmas presents in beautiful tape such as this? So many possibilities... so little time!

That rings me up to $499.90, which means my wish list has to come to an end. Not bad, I say. Not bad at all :) So, what are your favorites? Or go explore the catalog for yourself and report back on your findings. Who knows, you may just persuade me to change some of mine! I hope your Christmas season has already been just as blessed as mine has, and that all of your window-shopping (either cyber or glass) has been just as fun!

twofer

2010-12-01T23:49:00.000-08:00

today was a "twofer" day as far as checking things off of my list goes, which is a great accomplishment considering until today i'd only finished 2 of the items in two months!

< sidenote > i think i kind of screwed myself over by making so many of the items multi-step tasks... it means that i really have closer to 500+ things to do instead of 101. oh well. i've always been an overachiever i guess :) < / sidenote >

in any case... we officially switched our cable and internet today. minor detail... we're not sure if it's going to work with our current tivo subscription, which is a bummer, but we'll find out more tomorrow.

i also participated in Pay it Forward Day today and purchased the person's coffee who was behind me in the drive-through window at Starbucks. it was a fun thing to do, but the funny thing is, i really wanted to see the person's reaction! i want to know what ended up happening -- did they pay for the person's drink behind them and keep the "pay it forward" sensation going?

in any case, it was a nice feeling to check two items off of the list today! here's hoping i can get more accomplished soon. for now, it's off to bed. it's been a busy week, and there's another long day ahead of me tomorrow. g'night all!

counting my blessings

2010-11-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving weekend, I am thankful for...

My husband. That one's probably self-explanatory, but I'll elaborate regardless, for those of you who don't have the pleasure of knowing Ryan. He is the most patient man I know, and is willing to put up with just about anything (the fact that he married me should be noted ;)). He is constantly striving to learn more about God, keeps true to his standards, and at the same time, keeps me accountable to my standards as well. It's a privilege to be married to him, and I hope to enjoy many, many more Thanksgiving weekends with this man by my side.

A four day weekend to recover from a nasty cold, catch up on crafting projects, watch five movies (to help along #12 in my list), and just relax.

My job, which stretches me in ways that no other job has done. I'm constantly learning new things and working with new people, which is a "must" for me. I work with some fantastic people and I have the opportunity to learn from them and grow with them in an ever-changing industry. They're also a company who understands that family comes first, and that sometimes we need the downtime to relax and rejuvenate (see: four day weekend, above, and note: our offices are closed from Dec. 23 - Jan 2. That week & a half will likely be a repeat of these last four days: movies, relaxing, family + friends, and crafting. how much better can it get?). Publishing is a stressful industry to be in with the economy as it is, but with the leadership we're under, I have no doubt that we'll continue to do well in the future, and while it's a crazy ride sometimes, it's a roller coaster that I'm happy to be a part of.

Our puppy, who provides endless hours of entertainment.

You, my few but faithful readers. One of these days I will get all of my ideas out of my head and into blog format, I promise. But I am so thankful for your patience until then. Don't go too far -- I'll be back again soon :)

My diabetes support team. As I recover from a nasty cold and get my blood sugars back on track, I'm reminded of how good I have it. Yes, I'm a Type 1 Diabetic who is insulin-dependent and will have diabetes for the rest of my life and possibly face life-threatening complications in the future, but I have an amazing support team of family, friends, and doctors (and online "friends" -- aka bloggers whom I've never met but who keep me motivated to do more and encouraged when no matter how much I'm doing, it's not enough), who are constantly reminding me of what I can do to live a better, and longer, life.

Our church, Bethel Baptist Church. We have an amazing church family, and we cherish the people we have met as a result. Our small group (aka home group/Bible study/mini group) brought 13 people together, some close already and some strangers to us, and after 10 weeks, we left as a family group, stronger because of the encouragement and support we gave each other. My Sunday night girls have become a staple of my week, and I go through withdrawals when we have a break between Bible studies. They are my accountability partners and my prayer partners, and I have grown tremendously, both with them and because of them.

Amazing friends (aka my adopted family). We have an amazing core group of friends here, who keep us laughing, pray for us when we're going through rough times, cry with us when something bad happens, and are there for us at the drop of a hat, every minute of every day. I can't even express how thankful I am for them, or how much they mean to us, but it makes me reflect even more on how much God has provided for us here.

My Abba. Speaking of what God has provided for us... He is the ultimate gift and the ultimate provider of all of the things that I'm thankful for. None of it would be possible without Him, and He deserves all the praise for how great of a life I have. He is the provider of innumerable second chances, my safe place and stronghold in times of trouble, my ultimate confidant, friend, and comforter all wrapped up into one. He is the avenger of those who hurt me, and the salve for my wounds. He is my rock. No matter how far I run, no matter where I hide, no matter what I do, He will always be there. No matter what. And for that, and so much more, I am always grateful.

It's my hope that I'll remember to be thankful every day, not just every Thanksgiving weekend. Here's to realizing how good we have it, and to being thankful for everything, including trials, knowing that "the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:3-4)

Happy Thanksgiving!

#27: New York Times Bestsellers

2010-09-30T23:31:00.000-07:00

so, for some reason, when i was making my 101 Things to do in 1001 Days" list, this list of books that have been #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list over the years didn't seem so intimidating. then i actually started looking at the list, and started coding it, and realized it's quite a bit larger than i thought... and i haven't read nearly as many of these books as i thought i had. so, here's the list. if anyone wants to help me accumulate the books to read, just let me know (thanks, Kristen!)

key:
not started
currently reading
~~finished~~

# completed: 59/560
# in progress: 1

Accident by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - February 27, 1994

Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon (St. Martin's) - August 24, 2008

Across the River and Into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway (Scribner's) - October 15, 1950

Advise and Consent by Allen Drury (Doubleday) - October 4, 1959

The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone (Doubleday) - April 23, 1961

Airframe by Michael Crichton (Knopf) - December 29, 1996

Airport by Arthur Hailey (Doubleday) - April 7, 1968

Alaska by James Michener (Random House) - July 3, 1988

~~Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo (Little, Brown) - September 13, 2009~~

The Alibi by Sandra Brown (Warner) - September 19, 1999

American Assassin by Vince Flynn (Atria) - October 31, 2010

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (Morrow) - October 9, 2005

Anathem by Neal Stephenson (William Morrow) - September 28, 2008

Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver (St. Martin's) - March 9, 1958

And Now Tomorrow by Rachel Field (MacMillan) - August 9, 1942

Andersonville by McKinley Kantor (World Publishing) - January 1, 1956

"...and Ladies of the Club" by Helen Hooven Santmeyer (Putnam) - July 8, 1984

Angels Fall by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - July 30, 2006

Answered Prayers by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - November 17, 2002

~~The Appeal by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 17, 2008~~

The Aquitaine Progression by Robert Ludlum (Random House) - March 11, 1984

Arch of Triumph by Erich Maria Remarque (Appleton-Century) - March 10, 1946

~~Armageddon by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale) - April 27, 2003~~

The Arrangement by Elia Kazan (Stein & Day) - March 26, 1967

~~The Associate by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 15, 2009~~

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks (Warner) - November 6, 2005

At Risk by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - June 11, 2006

Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis (Vanguard) - August 28, 1955

B. F.'s Daughter by John P. Marquand (Little, Brown) - December 1, 1946

Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon (St. Martin's) - August 23, 2009

The Bad Place by Dean R. Koontz (Putnam) - February 4, 1990

Bag of Bones by Stephen King (Scribner) - October 11, 1998

~~The Beach House by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge (Little, Brown) - June 30, 2002~~

Beach Music by Pat Conroy (Talese/Doubleday) - July 16, 1995

~~Beach Road by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge (Little, Brown) - May 21, 2006~~

The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - September 10, 2000

Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 7, 2000

~~Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner (Atria) - August 2, 2009~~

Beyond This Place by A. J. Cronin (Little, Brown) - October 11, 1953

The Big Fisherman by Lloyd C. Douglas (Houghton Mifflin) - December 19, 1948

Birthright by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - April 20, 2003

Bittersweet by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - April 25, 1999

Black Hills by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - July 26, 2009

Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub (Random House) - September 30, 2001

Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - August 22, 1999

Black Ops by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam) - January 18, 2009

The Black Rose by Thomas Costain (Doubleday) - September 30, 1945

Bleachers by John Grisham (Doubleday) - September 28, 2003

Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - March 12, 1978

Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley) - June 15, 2008

Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - November 2, 2003

The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (Farrar, Straus) - January 24, 1988

Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan (Dutton) - May 22, 1955

The Book of Fate by Brad Melzer (Warner) - September 24, 2006

Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - November 11, 2007

~~The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum (Richard Marek) - March 23, 1980~~

The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum (Random House) - March 9, 1986

The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum (Random House) - March 18, 1990

The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) - November 2, 2008

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (Delacorte) - July 1, 1973

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte) - October 16, 2005

The Brethren by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 20, 2000

The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller (Warner) - January 31, 1993

~~The Broker by John Grisham (Doubleday) - January 30, 2005~~

The Burden of Proof by Scott Turow (Farrar, Straus) - June 17, 1990

Burr by Gore Vidal (Random House) - December 9, 1973

By Love Possessed by James Gould Cozzens (Harcourt) - September 22, 1957

The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk (Doubleday) - August 12, 1951

Captain From Castile by Samuel Shellabarger (Little, Brown) - May 13, 1945

The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson (Simon & Schuster) - April 30, 1950

The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 7, 1988

Caught by Harlan Coben (Dutton) - April 11, 2010

Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - July 21, 1996

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (Warner) - April 3, 1994

Cell by Stephen King (Scribner) - February 12, 2006

Centennial by James Michener (Random House) - October 13, 1974

The Chamber by John Grisham (Doubleday) - June 12, 1994

~~Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult (Atria) - March 23, 2008~~

Changes by Jim Butcher (Roc) - April 25, 2010

Chesapeake by James Michener (Random House) - July 23, 1978

Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - November 24, 2002

The Children of the Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkein (Houghton Mifflin) - May 6, 2007

Chill Factor by Sandra Brown (Simon & Schuster) - September 4, 2005

The Chosen by Chiam Potok (Simon & Schuster) - October 1, 1967

Chosen Prey by John Sandford (Putnam) - June 3, 2001

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans (Simon & Schuster) - December 17, 1995

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck with Kevin Balfe and Jason Wright (Threshold Editions) - November 30, 2008

Cider House Rules by John Irving (Morrow) - June 16, 1985

Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - September 3, 1989

The Client by John Grisham (Doubleday) - March 21, 1993

The Closers by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) - June 5, 2005

Cold Fire by Dean R. Koontz (Putnam) - February 3, 1991

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (Atlantic Monthly) - August 31, 1997

A Common Life by Jan Karon (Viking) - April 29, 2001

Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine) - April 13, 2008

The Confession by John Grisham (Doubleday) - November 14, 2010

The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron (Random House) - November 5, 1967

The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) - October 14, 2001

Couples by John Updike (Knopf) - June 30, 1968

The Covenant by James Michener (Random House) - November 2, 1980

~~Cross by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - December 3, 2006~~

Cross Country by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - December 7, 2008

Cross Fire by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - December 5, 2010

Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan (Tor/Tom Doherty) - January 26, 2003

Cujo by Stephen King (Viking) - August 23, 1981

Curtain by Agatha Christie (Dodd, Mead) - November 30, 1975

Daddy by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - November 19, 1989

Daddy's Little Girl by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 5, 2002

Dark Curse by Christine Feehan (Berkley) - September 21, 2008

The Dark Half by Stephen King (Viking) - November 5, 1989

Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan (Berkley) - September 20, 2009

The Dark Tower by Stephen King (Donald M. Grant/Scribner) - October 10, 2004

~~The Da Vinci Code~~ by Dan Brown (Doubleday) - April 6, 2003

A Day Late and a Dollar Short by Terry McMillan (Viking) - February 4, 2001

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth (Viking) - October 17, 1971

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (Ace) - May 24, 2009

Dead In the Family by Charlaine Harris (Ace) - May 23, 2010

The Dead Zone by Stephen King (Viking) - October 14, 1979

~~Dear John by Nicholas Sparks (Warner) - November 19, 2006~~

Debt of Honor by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - September 4, 1994

The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Viking) - October 6, 1996

The Defector by Daniel Silva (Putnam) - August 9, 2009

Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci (Grand Central) - May 9, 2010

~~Desecration by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale) - November 18, 2001~~

Désirée by Annemarie Selinko (Morrow) - March 8, 1953

Desperation by Stephen King (Viking) - October 13, 1996

Devices and Desires by P. D. James (Knopf) - February 18, 1990

Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs (Scribner) - September 14, 2008

The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer by Joyce Reardon (Ridley Pearson) (Hyperion) - February 17, 2002

Different Seasons by Stephen King (Viking) - August 15, 1982

Disclosure by Michael Crichton (Knopf) - January 23, 1994

The Disenchanted by Budd Schulberg (Random House) - December 3, 1950

Divine Justice by David Baldacci (Grand Central) - November 23, 2008

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (Pantheon) - November 16, 1958

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King (Viking) - December 6, 1992

Don't Go Near the Water by William Brinkley (Random House) - August 12, 1956

~~Double Cross by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - December 2, 2007~~

Dragon Tears by Dean R. Koontz (Putnam) - January 24, 1993

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King (Scribner) - April 8, 2001

Drivin' Woman by Elizabeth Chevalier (MacMillan) - September 6, 1942

Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz (Doubleday) - October 29, 2000

Duma Key by Stephen King (Scribner) - February 10, 2008

Eagle In the Sky by Van Wyck Mason (Lippincott) - March 7, 1948

Earth and High Heaven by Gwethalyn Graham (Lippincott) - April 22, 1945

East of Eden by John Steinbeck (Viking) - November 2, 1952

East River by Sholem Asch (Putnam) - November 24, 1946

East Side, West Side by Marcia Davenport (Scribner's) - February 8, 1948

Easy Prey by John Sandford (Putnam) - June 4, 2000

The Egyptian by Mika Waltari (Putnam) - October 30, 1949

1876 by Gore Vidal (Random House) - April 11, 1976

~~The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) - May 17, 2009~~

The Eighth Day by Thornton Wilder (Harper) - June 4, 1967

Eleven On Top by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 10, 2005

The Establishment by Howard Fast (Houghton Mifflin) - October 28, 1979

Everything's Eventual by Stephen King (Scribner) - April 7, 2002

Executive Orders by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - September 1, 1996

Exodus by Leon Uris (Doubleday) - May 17, 1959

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty (Harper) - July 25, 1971

Extreme Measures by Vince Flynn (Atria) - November 9, 2008

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King (Viking) - February 1, 1987

Falconer by John Cheever (Knopf) - May 22, 1977

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett (Dutton) - October 17, 2010

Family Album by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - March 31, 1985

Fantasy In Death by J.D. Robb (Putnam) - March 14, 2010

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 6, 2008

A Feast For Crows by George R. R. Martin (Bantam) - November 27, 2005

~~The 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) - March 5, 2006~~

Fine Things by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - March 29, 1987

~~Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 12, 2009~~

Firestarter by Stephen King (Viking) - September 28, 1980

First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer (Linden Press) - August 26, 1984

First Family by David Baldacci (Grand Central) - May 10, 2009

~~1st to Die by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - March 25, 2001~~

Five Days In Paris by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - December 3, 1995

The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom (Hyperion) - October 12, 2003

Flood Tide by Clive Cussler (Simon & Schuster) - October 12, 1997

The Force Unleashed by Sean Williams (Del Rey) - September 7, 2008

~~Ford County~~ ~~by John Grisham (Doubleday) - November 22, 2009~~

Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor (MacMillan) - November 14, 1944

For One More Day by Mitch Albom (Hyperion) - October 15, 2006

Four Blind Mice by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - December 8, 2002

Four Past Midnight by Stephen King (Viking) - September 16, 1990

The Fourth Hand by John Irving (Random House) - July 29, 2001

~~4th of July by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) - May 22, 2005~~

The Fourth Protocol by Frederick Forsyth (Viking) - September 16, 1984

Franny and Zooey by J. D. Sallinger (Little, Brown) - October 29, 1961

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) - September 19, 2010

The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles (Little, Brown) - February 8, 1970

From a Buick 8 by Stephen King (Scribner) - October 13, 2002

From Here to Eternity by James Jones (Scribner's) - March 25, 1951

From Potter's Field by Patricia Cornwell (Scribner) - August 27, 1995

From the Corner of His Eye by Dean R. Koontz (Bantam) - January 14, 2001

Full Circle by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - June 3, 1984

The Gate House by Nelson DeMille (Grand Central) - November 16, 2008

The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Tor/Tom Doherty) - November 15, 2009

Gentlemen's Agreement by Laura Z. Hobson (Simon & Schuster) - April 27, 1947

Gerald's Game by Stephen King (Viking) - July 19, 1992

The Ghost by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - November 30, 1997

The Gift by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - August 7, 1994

~~The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (Knopf) - June 13, 2010~~

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King (Scribner) - May 2, 1999

~~The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson (Knopf) - August 16, 2009~~

The Glass Blowers by Daphne du Maurier (Doubleday) - May 19, 1963

~~Glorious Appearing by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale) - April 18, 2004~~

The Godfather by Mario Puzo (Putnam) - September 21, 1969

Gone by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine) - April 16, 2006

Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child (Delacorte) - June 7, 2009

Good as Gold by Joseph Heller (Simon & Schuster) - April 22, 1979

Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith (Random House) - April 26, 1981

Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge (Coward-McCann) - October 15, 1944

The Green Years by A. J. Cronin (Little, Brown) - December 17, 1944

The Group by Mary McCarthy (Harcourt) - October 6, 1963

~~Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult (Atria) - March 22, 2009~~

Hannibal by Thomas Harris (Delacorte) - June 27, 1999

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 7, 2002

~~Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (Levine/Scholastic) - June 20, 1999~~

~~Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling (Levine/Scholastic) - September 26, 1999~~

~~Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling (Levine/Scholastic) - August 15, 1999~~

The Haunted Mesa by Louis L'Amour (Bantam) - May 31, 1987

Hawaii by James Michener (Random House) - January 17, 1960

Heartbeat by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - February 24, 1991

Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn (Bantam) - June 30, 1991

Hell's Corner by David Baldacci (Grand Central) - November 28, 2010

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Amy Einhorn/Putnam) - January 24, 2010

Herzog by Saul Bellow (Viking) - October 25, 1964

Hideaway by Dean R. Koontz (Putnam) - February 2, 1992

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown) - July 3, 2005

The Holcroft Covenant by Robert Ludlum (Putnam) - July 9, 1978

Hold the Dream by Barbara Taylor Bradford (Doubleday) - June 9, 1985

Hold Tight by Harlan Coben (Dutton) - May 4, 2008

The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart (Morrow) - September 9, 1973

Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Little, Brown) - March 6, 2005

The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene (Simon & Schuster) - November 25, 1973

Hornet's Nest by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - February 2, 1997

The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans (Delacorte) - October 1, 1995

The Host by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) - May 25, 2008

The Hostage by W. E. B. Griffin (Putnam) - January 22, 2006

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 9, 2000

The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving (Dutton) - September 27, 1981

Hour Game by David Baldacci (Warner) - November 14, 2004

The House by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - March 19, 2006

House Divided by Ben Ames Williams (Houghton Mifflin) - November 9, 1947

The House on Hope Street by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - July 16, 2000

~~House Rules by Jodi Picoult (Atria) - March 21, 2010~~

How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan (Viking) - May 19, 1996

The Hucksters by Frederic Wakeman (Rinehart) - July 14, 1946

The Husband by Dean Koontz (Bantam) - June 18, 2006

I, Alex Cross by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - December 6, 2009

The Icarus Agenda by Robert Ludlum (Random House) - March 20, 1988

The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder (Harper) - April 4, 1948

If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - February 3, 1985

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - April 22, 2007

I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb (Regan Books/HarperCollins) - July 5, 1998

I'll Take Manhattan by Judith Krantz (Crown) - June 8, 1986

An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough (Harper) - November 15, 1981

~~Indwelling by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale) - June 11, 2000~~

Innocent In Death by J.D. Robb (Putnam) - March 11, 2007

Insomnia by Stephen King (Viking) - October 23, 1994

Intensity by Dean R. Koontz (Knopf) - January 28, 1996

In This Mountain by Jan Karon (Viking) - June 16, 2002

Isle of Dogs by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - October 28, 2001

It by Stephen King (Viking) - September 14, 1986

Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut (Delacorte) - October 7, 1979

The Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross (Little, Brown) - March 23, 2003

Jewels by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - May 17, 1992

Johnny Angel by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - July 20, 2003

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach (MacMillan) - July 2, 1972

Journey Through Heartsongs by Mattie J. T. Stepanek (VSP Books) - February 3, 2002

Joy Street by Francis Parkinson Keyes (Messner) - January 14, 1951

Judge & Jury by James Patterson and Andrew Gross (Little, Brown) - August 20, 2006

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 3, 2009

Kaleidoscope by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - October 25, 1987

Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett (Morrow) - October 19, 1980

~~The King of Torts by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 23, 2003~~

The King's General by Daphne du Maurier (Doubleday) - February 3, 1946

Kingsblood Royal by Sinclair Lewis (Random House) - July 6, 1947

The Kiss by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - November 11, 2001

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan (Putnam) - July 7, 1991

The Klone and I by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - July 12, 1998

Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan (Tor/ Tom Doherty) - October 30, 2005

Knockout by Catherine Coulter (Putnam) - July 5, 2009

"L" Is For Lawless by Sue Grafton (Holt) - September 17, 1995

The Lake House by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - June 29, 2003

Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor (Viking) - September 15, 1985

The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart (Morrow) - September 9, 1979

The Last Hurrah by Edwin O'Connor (Little, Brown) - March 25, 1956

~~The Last Juror by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 22, 2004~~

Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour (Bantam) - June 22, 1986

The Last of the Just by André Schwarz-Bart (Atheneum) - March 26, 1961

The Last Patriot by Brad Thor (Atria) - July 20, 2008

The Last Precinct by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - November 5, 2000

~~The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central) - September 27, 2009~~

Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 8, 2007

Leap of Faith by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - July 15, 2001

Lie Down with Lions by Ken Follett (Morrow) - February 16, 1986

~~Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Gross (Little, Brown) - July 31, 2005~~

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) - October 23, 2005

A Lion Is In the Streets by Adria Locke Langley (McGraw) - July 1, 1945

Lisey's Story by Stephen King (Scribner) - November 12, 2006

The Little Drummer Girl by John le Carré (Knopf) - March 20, 1983

Lolita by Vladimir Nakobov (Putnam) - September 28, 1958

London Bridges by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - November 28, 2004

Long Lost by Harlan Coben (Dutton) - April 19, 2009

The Long Road Home by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - April 26, 1998

Looking for Mr. Goodbar by Judith Rossner (Simon & Schuster) - August 3, 1975

Lord Vanity by Samuel Shellabarger (Little, Brown) - November 29, 1953

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Doubleday) - October 4, 2009

The Lost World by Michael Crichton (Knopf) - October 8, 1995

Love Is Eternal by Irving Stone (Doubleday) - October 17, 1954

The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann (Simon & Schuster) - June 22, 1969

Love Story by Erich Segal (Harper) - May 10, 1970

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (Little, Brown) - August 18, 2002

Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 12, 1991

Lucky by Jackie Collins (Simon & Schuster) - September 1, 1985

~~The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central) - October 19, 2008~~

Lydia Bailey by Kenneth Roberts (Doubleday) - February 2, 1947

The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel (Crown) - November 24, 1985

A Man In Full by Tom Wolfe (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) - November 22, 1998

Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk (Doubleday) - October 2, 1955

~~The Mark by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale) - December 3, 2000~~

Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier (Doubleday) - August 1, 1954

Mary, Mary by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - December 4, 2005

Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - September 12, 1982

The Matarese Circle by Robert Ludlum (Richard Marek) - April 8, 1979

Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice (Knopf) - July 30, 1995

Memories of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - September 2, 1990

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking) - June 26, 2005

Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich (Harper Collins) - November 21, 2004

Midnight by Dean R. Koontz (Putnam) - February 5, 1989

Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - November 4, 2001

Misery by Stephen King (Viking) - June 7, 1987

Mistral's Daughter by Judith Krantz (Bantam) - February 20, 1983

Mixed Blessings by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - November 22, 1992

The Moneychangers by Arthur Hailey (Doubleday) - May 4, 1975

The Moneyman by Thomas Costain (Doubleday) - August 17, 1947

Moonlight Becomes You by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - April 21, 1996

Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva (Putnam) - August 10, 2008

Mrs. Parkington by Louis Bromfield (Harper) - March 14, 1943

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (Doubleday) - March 30, 1952

"N" Is for Noose by Sue Grafton (Wood/Holt) - May 31, 1998

The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer (Rinehart) - June 20, 1948

Naked Prey by John Sandford (Putnam) - June 1, 2003

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (Harcourt) - August 7, 1983

~~The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus (St. Martin's) - April 28, 2002~~

Night Fall by Nelson DeMille (Warner) - December 12, 2004

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks (Warner) - October 6, 2002

~~Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (Atria) - March 25, 2007~~

~~The 9th Judgment by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) - May 16, 2010~~

No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - April 24, 2005

Noble House by James Clavell (Delacorte) - May 10, 1981

North and South by John Jakes (Harcourt) - February 28, 1982

Northern Lights by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - October 31, 2004

Not as a Stranger by Morton Thompson (Scribner's) - February 14, 1954

Nothing to Lose by Lee Child (Delacorte) - June 22, 2008

Odd Hours by Dean R. Koontz (Bantam) - June 8, 2008

The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth (Viking) - March 25, 1973

~~Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss (Random House) - March 4, 1990~~

Oliver's Story by Erich Segal (Harper) - April 10, 1977

On the Street Where You Live by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 6, 2001

Once Is Not Enough by Jacqueline Susann (Morrow) - May 6, 1973

One Door Away From Heaven by Dean R. Koontz (Bantam) - January 20, 2002

Overload by Arthur Hailey (Doubleday) - February 25, 1979

The Overton Window by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions) - July 4, 2010

"P" Is For Peril by Sue Grafton (Marian Wood/Putnam) - June 24, 2001

~~A Painted House by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 25, 2001~~

Paradise by Toni Morrison (Knopf) - February 1, 1998

The Parasites by Daphne du Maurier (Doubleday) - February 19, 1950

The Parsifal Mosaic by Robert Ludlum (Random House) - March 21, 1982

The Partner by John Grisham (Doubleday) - March 16, 1997

The Passions of the Mind by Irving Stone (Doubleday) - April 25, 1971

The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan (Tor/Doherty) - November 8, 1998

Patriot Games by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 2, 1987

~~The Pelican Brief by John Grisham (Doubleday) - March 15, 1992~~

A Perfect Spy by John le Carré (Knopf) - May 4, 1986

Pet Sematary by Stephen King (Doubleday) - November 13, 1983

Peyton Place by Grace Metalious (Messner) - November 25, 1956

Phantom by Terry Goodkind (Tor/Tom Doherty) - August 6, 2006

Pilgrim's Inn by Elizabeth Goudge (Coward-McCann) - May 23, 1948

The Plains of Passage by Jean M. Auel (Crown) - October 21, 1990

Playing For Pizza by John Grisham (Doubleday) - October 14, 2007

Plum Island by Nelson DeMille (Warner) - June 15, 1997

~~Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - January 28, 2007~~

~~Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich (St. Martins) - January 27, 2008~~

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - January 25, 2009

Point Blank by Catherine Coulter (Putnam) - September 11, 2005

Point of No Return by John P. Marquand (Little, Brown) - April 10, 1949

Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - July 26, 1998

Poland by James Michener (Random House) - September 11, 1983

Polar Shift by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos (Putnam) - September 18, 2005

Polar Star by Martin Cruz Smith (Random House) - August 6, 1989

Politically Correct Bedtime Stories by James Finn Garner (MacMillan) - December 11, 1994

Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth (Random House) - March 16, 1969

The Postcard Killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund (Little, Brown) - September 5, 2010

Predator by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - November 13, 2005

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow (Farrar, Straus) - July 26, 1987

Pretend You Don't See Her by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 4, 1997

Prey by Michael Crichton (HarperCollins) - December 15, 2002

Primary Colors by Anonymous (Joe Klein) (Random House) - February 18, 1996

Princess Daisy by Judith Krantz (Crown) - February 17, 1980

Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) - July 18, 2010

The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer (Linden Press) - July 4, 1982

Promises In Death by J.D. Robb (Putnam) - March 15, 2009

Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn (Atria) - November 18, 2007

"Q" Is For Quarry by Sue Grafton (Marian Wood/Putnam) - November 3, 2002

QB VII by Leon Uris (Doubleday) - February 21, 1971

The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice (Knopf) - October 30, 1988

~~The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Little, Brown) - July 22, 2007~~

"R" Is For Ricochet by Sue Grafton (Marian Wood/Putnam) - August 1, 2004

Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - July 13, 1980

A Rage to Live by John O'Hara (Random House) - September 18, 1949

Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow (Random House) - August 24, 1975

Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 23, 1998

~~The Rainmaker by John Grisham (Doubleday) - April 30, 1995~~

Raintree County by Ross Lockridge (Houghton Mifflin) - April 25, 1948

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters by J. D. Sallinger (Little, Brown) - March 10, 1963

Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham (Doubleday) - July 2, 1944

The Rector of Justin by Louis Auchincloss (Houghton Mifflin) - October 4, 1964

Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 25, 2002

Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 17, 1986

Relentless by Dean Koontz (Bantam) - June 28, 2009

The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva (Putnam) - August 8, 2010

Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 22, 1994

~~The Remnant by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale) - July 21, 2002~~

The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks (Warner) - October 15, 2000

The Return of the Jedi by Joan D. Vinge (Random House) - June 12, 1983

The Reversal by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) - October 24, 2010

Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen (Random House) - September 17, 2006

~~The Rising by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale) - April 3, 2005~~

Rising Sun by Michael Crichton (Putnam) - March 1, 1992

The Robe by Lloyd Douglas (Houghton Mifflin) - November 22, 1942

~~The Runaway Jury by John Grisham (Doubleday) - June 2, 1996~~

The Russia House by John le Carré (Knopf) - June 11, 1989

"S" Is For Silence by Sue Grafton (Marian Wood/Putnam) - December 25, 2005

Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks (Grand Central) - October 3, 2010

~~Sail by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Little, Brown) - June 29, 2008~~

The Salzburg Connection by Helen MacInnes (Harcourt) - November 10, 1968

~~Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - July 18, 2004~~

The Sands of Time by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - November 20, 1988

The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie (Viking) - March 26, 1989

The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier (Doubleday) - March 24, 1957

The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) - June 14, 2009

Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley (Warner) - October 13, 1991

Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - December 21, 2008

Scruples by Judith Krantz (Crown) - June 18, 1978

The Search by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - July 25, 2010

~~2nd Chance by James Patterson with Andrew Gross (Little, Brown) - March 24, 2002~~

The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Crichton (Simon & Schuster) - November 20, 1966

The Secret Pilgrim by John le Carré (Knopf) - January 20, 1991

The Seeress of Kell by David Eddings (Del Rey-Ballantine) - April 21, 1991

September by Rosamunde Pilcher (St. Martin's) - April 22, 1990

Servant of the Bones by Anne Rice (Knopf) - August 25, 1996

Seven Days in May by Fletcher Knebel (Harper) - November 18, 1962

Seven Up by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 8, 2001

A Shade of Difference by Allen Drury (Doubleday) - October 28, 1962

The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 2, 2010

Shannon's Way by A. J. Cronin (Little, Brown) - September 5, 1948

The Shelters of Stone by Jean M. Auel (Crown) - May 19, 2002

Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter (Little, Brown) - April 29, 1962

The Shoes of the Fisherman by Morris West (Morrow) - June 30, 1963

~~Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella (Dial) - March 18, 2007~~

The Sicilian by Mario Puzo (Simon & Schuster) - January 20, 1985

Silent Honor by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - December 1, 1996

Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkein (Houghton Mifflin) - October 2, 1977

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (Ace) - April 18, 2010

The Silver Chalice by Thomas Costain (Doubleday) - September 7, 1952

Simple Genius by David Baldacci (Warner) - May 13, 2007

Sincerely, Willis Wayde by John P. Marquand (Little, Brown) - April 10, 1955

~~The 6th Target by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) - May 27, 2007~~

61 Hours by Lee Child (Delacorte) - June 6, 2010

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 11, 2010

Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (Putnam) - June 23, 1985

Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley) - June 21, 2009

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (Doubleday) - December 9, 2001

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie (Dodd, Mead) - November 7, 1976

Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend by Robert James Waller (Warner) - November 14, 1993

Smiley's People by John le Carré (Knopf) - January 20, 1980

Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown (Simon & Schuster) - August 31, 2008

So Little Time by John P. Marquand (Little, Brown) - October 17, 1943

So Well Remembered by James Hilton (Little, Brown) - September 23, 1945

Sole Survivor by Dean R. Koontz (Knopf) - March 2, 1997

Something of Value by Robert Ruark (Doubleday) - July 3, 1955

The Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel (Viking) - August 16, 1942

Song of Susannah by Stephen King (Donald M. Grant/Scribner) - June 27, 2004

Sophie's Choice by William Styron (Random House) - July 22, 1979

The Source by James Michener (Random House) - July 11, 1965

Southern Cross by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - January 31, 1999

South of Broad by Pat Conroy (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday) - August 30, 2009

Space by James Michener (Random House) - October 10, 1982

Special Delivery by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - July 20, 1997

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré (Coward-McCann) - February 23, 1964

The Stand by Stephen King (Doubleday) - May 13, 1990

Star by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - February 26, 1989

Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace by Terry Brooks (Lucas/Ballantine) - May 23, 1999

The Stars Shine Down by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - October 18, 1992

~~Step On a Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Little, Brown) - February 25, 2007~~

Stone Cold by David Baldacci (Grand Central) - November 25, 2007

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (Ecco) - October 12, 2008

Strange Fruit by Lillian Smith (Reynal) - May 14, 1944

The Street Lawyer by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 22, 1998

The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 25, 1991

The Summons by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 24, 2002

~~Sundays At Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet (Little, Brown) - May 18, 2008~~

~~Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson (Little, Brown) - August 5, 2001~~

Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) - July 19, 2009

"T" Is For Trespass by Sue Grafton (Putnam) - December 23, 2007

The Tale of the Body Thief by Anne Rice (Knopf) - October 25, 1992

The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub (Viking) - October 28, 1984

Taltos by Anne Rice (Knopf) - October 16, 1994

The Teeth of the Tiger by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 31, 2003

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 11, 2004

The Testament by John Grisham (Doubleday) - February 21, 1999

Texas by James Michener (Random House) - October 13, 1985

Thinner by Richard Bachman (Stephen King) (NAL Books) - April 28, 1985

~~3rd Degree by James Patterson and Andrew Gross (Little, Brown) - March 21, 2004~~

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Atria) - October 1, 2006

This Side of Innocence by Taylor Caldwell (Scribner's) - May 12, 1946

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (Harper) - June 19, 1977

~~A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) - June 10, 2007~~

Three Fates by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - April 21, 2002

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (Knopf) - August 4, 1974

To the Nines by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - August 3, 2003

The Tommyknockers by Stephen King (Putnam) - November 29, 1987

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Tor) - November 21, 2010

Trace by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - September 26, 2004

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith (Harper) - January 2, 1944

Trinity by Leon Uris (Doubleday) - June 13, 1976

Triple by Ken Follett (Arbor House) - December 9, 1979

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks (Warner) - May 1, 2005

True Detectives by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine) - April 12, 2009

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) - July 9, 2006

Tribute by Nora Roberts (Putnam) - July 27, 2008

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher (Roc) - April 26, 2009

Two Little Girls In Blue by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - April 23, 2006

"U" Is For Undertow by Sue Grafton (Putnam) - December 20, 2009

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri (Knopf) - April 20, 2008

Under the Dome by Stephen King (Scribner) - November 29, 2009

Unnatural Exposure by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) - August 3, 1997

Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman (Prentice Hall) - May 16, 1965

Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler (Putnam) - September 2, 2001

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann (Geis) - May 8, 1966

The View from Pompey's Head by Hamilton Basso (Doubleday) - January 2, 1955

The Wall by John Hersey (Knopf) - March 26, 1950

Wanderlust by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - July 20, 1986

War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk (Little, Brown) - November 12, 1978

Watership Down by Richard Adams (MacMillan) - May 5, 1974

The Wedding by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - April 23, 2000

We'll Meet Again by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 9, 1999

Wheels by Arthur Hailey (Doubleday) - November 7, 1971

Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - April 27, 2008

Where Is Joe Merchant? by Jimmy Buffet (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich) - September 20, 1992

While My Pretty One Sleeps by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 28, 1989

Whirlwind by James Clavell (Morrow) - November 23, 1986

Who Killed the Robins Family? by Bill Adler and Thomas Chastain (Morrow) - January 29, 1984

The Whole Truth by David Baldacci (Grand Central) - May 11, 2008

Wicked Prey by John Sandford (Putnam) - May 31, 2009

A Widow For One Year by John Irving (Random House) - June 14, 1998

Windmills of the Gods by Sidney Sheldon (Morrow) - February 8, 1987

The Winds of War by Herman Wouk (Little, Brown) - January 23, 1972

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's) - August 20, 2000

Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan (Tor/Tom Doherty) - November 26, 2000

Without Remorse by Tom Clancy (Putnam) - August 29, 1993

The Word by Irving Wallace (Simon & Schuster) - May 14, 1972

World Without End by Ken Follett (Dutton) - October 28, 2007

Worst Case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Little, Brown) - February 21, 2010

Worth Dying For by Lee Child (Delacorte) - November 7, 2010

You Belong To Me by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster) - May 10, 1998

The Young Lions by Irwin Shaw (Random House) - November 7, 1948

You've Been Warned by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Little, Brown) - September 30, 2007

Zoya by Danielle Steel (Delacorte) - May 15, 1988

101 Things to do in 1001 Days

2010-09-21T23:30:00.000-07:00

i was recently inspired by my cousin Carolyn to start a "101 Things to do in 1001 Days" series on my blog. the basic idea is to simply build a list of 101 things you want to do, then track your progress over then next 1001 days.

over the last few weeks i've taken the time to compile, and think about, and re-compile, my list of 101 things -- some that are completely feasible (see #14), some that seem completely out of reach (see #11 and #46), and some that terrify me to no end (see #93) but with the accountability of my blog readers and the help of some friends (namely Ryan) i'm hoping to be able to accomplish a good amount of these items! wish me luck, cheer me on, and feel free to help out wherever possible!

101 Things to do in 1001 Days

start date: Wednesday, September 22, 2010
end date: Wednesday, June 19, 2013

# completed: 5
# in progress: 22

key:
not started
in progress
~~accomplished~~ (with the date)

1. read the Bible in one year using The One Year Bible daily readings and journal a few sentences about what I've learned or read each day (5/365)
2. memorize one passage of Scripture every month (2/33)
Psalm 1:1-6—October 2010
Revelation 17:14—November 2010
3. complete a free-write once a week (2/143)
4. post at least twice weekly on my blog
5. read (or listen to) all of the books in Amazon's Best Books of 2010 list (6/20 completed, 3 in progress)
6. go geocaching
7. visit New York City with Ryan
8. see the ball drop on New Year's Eve in Times Square with Jodi
9. go camping in Oregon & Washington
10. take the ferry from Bainbridge Island to Seattle
11. go back to (or make a feasible plan to visit) Romania
12. watch all of the movies we own (11/107)
13. bike 50 miles (current best: 30 miles)
14. ~~switch internet and cable providers~~ December 1, 2010
15. buy a house
16. "spring clean" at least once every year to clean out a) old/unworn clothes b) unneeded paperwork c) movies/books that we aren't watching/reading anymore
Dec. 2010
17. read through all of the magazines in the boxes behind the couch
18. create (and maintain) an etsy shop
19. review the craft books that are piling up and then host a giveaway on my blog
20. go to Ruth Chris Steakhouse with Ryan
21. find an occasion to which i can wear my blue banquet dress
22. ~~find a spiritual mentor~~ October 2010 — I'm now meeting with a wonderful, Godly woman from my church, and God is using her greatly in my life!
23. get my A1C below 7.0 for at least two tests in a row (currently 8.2 — update: on 11/17 AIC was 8.7)
24. drive a Mustang GT convertible
25. learn how to drive a stick shift — I successfully drove a stick shift in a parking lot without stalling... now to drive on the open road
26. go on a camping trip with Mom & Dad
27. read (or listen to) the full list of fiction books that have made #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List since its inception on August 9, 1942 (53/560) see my progress here
28. watch every movie on the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) (13/100)
29. cook a new recipe out of one of my cookbooks once a month (2/33)
30. finish my HTML/Web Design courses with the O'Reilly School of Technology
31. create a workable budget and stick by it
32. sell my crafts at the Wednesday Night Market
33. hike Mt. Tam just after a rain to see the springs & waterfalls
34. go on a backpacking trip
35. get up to 100 weekly visits on my blog (currently: 30)
36. sort through my old school papers and get rid of what i won't use/don't need
37. look into the possibility of a master's program
38. take a class at the JC on alterations and sewing/designing clothes
39. release a message in a bottle
40. take a ride in a hot air balloon
41. plant a garden
42. redesign my blog from scratch
43. learn Spanish (again) so that I can hold my own in a conversation
44. bike to work and back every day for two weeks (0/14)
45. lose 25 pounds and keep it off for 6 months
46. run a 10K
47. finish the 5 cross-stitch projects i have in progress (the Chinese fan for Dan & Sarah, four seasons quilt for Mom & Dad, bird ornaments, Christmas tree skirt, & summer collage)
48. scrapbook our wedding & honeymoon pictures
49. watch a meteor shower
50. don't subscribe to any more magazines until i read the ones that i already receive
51. don't buy any new books until i've finished the stack of un-read books in my room — I'm currently getting 3 magazines, but won't be renewing any of them
52. finish every project in the crafting calendar i bought last year and resolved to work through (which obviously didn't happen :)) and blog about it (0/155)
53. using the craft books i already have (see #51), make a new project each month and blog about it (also started in 2009 and failed miserably) (0/33)
53. write, include a personal note, address, and send Christmas cards before Christmas
54. figure out a way to organize my fabric (and do it)
55. drink only water for one month (0/31)
56. go to a music festival
57. wake up early & go to the gym every morning for a week (0/7)
58. no fast food for 3 months (includes "healthy" fast foods like subway, quiznos, etc.)
59. bring bag lunch to work for a month (0/31)
60. try 10 new (to me) restaurants (0/10)
61. write a will
62. go one week without any food that contains sugar (other than natural sugar in fruits) (0/7)
63. go through my magazines & take out any pictures and/or articles for my crafting/design binders and then get rid of the rest
64. purchase a fondue/raclette set
65. visit two states I haven't been to (0/2)
66. submit a story to a magazine
67. ~~pay for someone's coffee/meal behind me at a drive-through window~~ December 1, 2010 — I participated in Pay it Forward Day and bought the person's coffee in the car behind me at Starbucks
68. ~~buy something on etsy~~ December 3, 2010 — purchased a ____ for ____ and it's being designed as I type, but I can't say what it is or blog about it yet, since it's for ____ and it's a Christmas present ;) Will be blogging about it post-Christmas I suppose.
69. listen to every song on my iPod (515/7686 — and growing)
70. get involved in a book club
71. put $5 from every paycheck in a separate bank account during this challenge and then use that toward something special for Ryan & I (trip, something for the house, special night out, etc.) (currently saved: $75)
72. go to Ikea for the first time
73. only use my canvas bags every time i go shopping for a month (0/31)
74. get 500 followers on Twitter (currently: 202)
75. look for (and pray for) opportunities to share my faith
76. climb Half Dome
77. learn to bake bread with the cookbook that i've had for almost 2 years now
78. have a game night with friends/family every other month (1/16)
79. attend a crafting/sewing weekend
80. sort through our books and buy bookshelves that actually fit the books we have, or get rid of some of our books so they fit on the bookshelves we already have
81. buy one piece of fine art
82. avoid parking at the closest parking spot at work and stores for 6 months (0/180)
83. go camping at least once a year (0/3)
84. go fishing
85. maintain a datebook & send birthday & anniversary cards to family & close friends
86. stay at a B&B
87. purchase wine glasses
88. work out at least 3x a week (excluding vacations & holidays) (5/143)
89. go horseback riding (not on a trail ride)
90. go to a rodeo
91. take 1 picture a day (19/1,001) — see my photos here
92. learn to play the guitar (again)
93. learn to ski or snowboard
94. donate blood at least two times a year (0/6)
95. go apple picking at a local farm
96. go on a road trip
97. hike a portion of the Pacific Coast Trail
98. write 5 letters (a real, handwritten, old-fashioned, paper, envelope, and stamps, letter) to a friend or family member (Christmas cards don't count) (0/5)
99. document each of these 101 moments with pictures and blogposts (multiple accomplishments can be blogged in a single post) (1/1,001)
100. ~~inspire at least one other person to start a 101 in 1001 list~~ — my amazing friend Stephanie Rudd started her own 101 list! cheer her on here.
101. on day 1001, publish a new 101 Things to do in 1001 Days list

so, what do you think?
am i crazy? don't answer that... ;)
is it possible? anything's possible if you put your mind to it, right?
will i go insane trying to finish it all? probably, but what's life without a challenge?
call me crazy, cheer me on, or join me with your own list, but whatever you do, come back soon to see how i'm doing on my list...

there's a first time for everything...

2010-07-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

including, apparently, sewing through your finger. now don't get me wrong. i've caught pockets of skin from the pads of my fingers plenty of times before while cross-stitching or hand stitching, but sewing through my finger on my sewing machine? that's a first... and i'm still not quite sure how it happened, but i have the tunnel through the side of my finger to prove it!

in any case, it broke my needle and threw off the tension on my machine. completely. as in... it won't sew more than two-three correct stitches at a time without throwing the fabric back at me in a wad of knots and tangles. which means, this purse that i've been working on, which is about 30 seconds away from being done... will remain 30 seconds away from being done... until i can figure out what's going on with my machine and get it working correctly again.

*sigh* couldn't the first time for this to happen have come at a different time? :-/

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

2010-07-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

In signing up for Rossie's Process Pledge, I promised I would post about the "half-done" projects instead of just the typical "this is done and here's how I made it. Doesn't it look pretty?"

Well, I guarantee you... this one is not pretty. Nor is it done. I've been trying to finish a new purse for a co-worker for the last 2 months. In all honesty, part of that has simply been because it's been a crazy (more than crazy) quarter here at work (hence the no posting for forever again). But the other part of that has been trying a new design for the pattern I came up with a few years back. The reversible part is easy. The not-so-easy part has been the elastic pockets.

Now I've worked with elastic before... but always with just one piece of fabric folded down into a casing. Simple, simple stuff. Nothing that requires too much thinking.

This, on the other hand, required thinking. And research. And finding random information about how to sew diapers when I typed "sewing elastic pockets" into Google. Go ahead. Search it. You know you want to... I'll just sit here and wait while you do.

Back? Ok. So now that you've seen what I was up against (and keeping in mind that I'm a completely self-taught sewer (seamstress?) crafter... this is what I came up with:

Not too bad, right? I tried a different technique each time and got (more than) a little frustrated, but I think in the end I figured out the best technique (of the four that I tried). Now I just have to remember how to do it next time! So any suggestions for how to handle it in the future? Someone out there has to have sewn elastic-topped pockets before. Help me out :)

I, Mary, pledge to talk more about my processes, even when I can’t quite put them into words or be sure I’m being totally clear. I’m going to put my thinking and my gut feelings out there.

Want to join me? Sign up here.

Photography Books Now competition

2010-06-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from a former co-worker who now works for the awesome company Blurb, Inc., based in San Francisco, CA. Apparently they're running their Photography Books Now competition again this year, and the grand prize is $25,000. Now I know some of you readers out there are fantastic artists, not to mention amazing photographers, so give it a try and let me know what you come up with! Here's the info:

So far, we’ve received more than 800 submissions from over 25 countries. Check out the latest entries at our PBN bookstore. You can also head over to our blog and get inspired. There’s a great post on what makes a winning photo book by Darius Himes (our PBN lead judge) and another post on last year’s PBN winners and what they’re up to (great assignments, grants, and the like).

The deadline for 2010 PBN entries is July 15 so you still have time, but if your book is ready, go ahead and enter now. Remember there’s a $25,000 grand prize up for grabs, not to mention lots of other prizes.

Best of luck to any of you who give it a try! And stay tuned for more content up here soon... I promise... again. ;) I've found that the hardest part of not being consistent about blogging is the "getting started again" timeframe... when I'm not sure if I owe you guys an apology or if I just jump back on the bandwagon. I've apologized enough in the past, so I figured I'd just jump back in and take up where we left off :) Hopefully there are enough of you around still to pass the word! Looking forward to hearing what you've all been up to during my hiatus (and sharing some of my own projects as well). More later...

An Open Letter to the FDA

2010-03-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

I know it's rare for me to talk about my diabetes on this blog, but this time around I thought it was necessary. For background on what spurred this, see Kerri Sparling and Scott Strumello's blogposts.

I have Type 1, insulin-dependent Diabetes, and rely heavily on my test machine to be 100% accurate 100% of the time. I give myself insulin, eat a snack, exercise, drive my car, and live my daily life based on those results. My husband and I have been married for almost 3 years and we're talking about starting a family within the next few years, but I rely on my test machine to tell me what my blood sugar is doing so I can tweak my insulin pump and alter how much insulin I'm giving myself in order to get my A1C results down to the holy grail of diabetics -- 6.5% -- so I can get the "ok" from my doctor to get pregnant. I'm having an incredibly hard time believing that it's "ok" for my test machine to be +/- 20% on a regular basis, not to mention that on several occasions it's been off more than 20%, which leads me to believe that companies aren't following the policies laid down in the first place. How can I be expected to live my life as a functioning Type 1 Diabetic and be a reliable worker, driver, citizen, and, hopefully one day, a reliable mom, when the machines I rely on to be 100% accurate, aren't even close? Please, consider ALL diabetics in your decision to change the accuracy of these machines -- not just those who have Type 2 Diabetes and can rely on a range on numbers instead of an exact figure. Make the decision to raise the accuracy of our test machines, thereby allowing us to raise the quality of our lives.

-Mary Rotman

p.s. Want to make a difference? Visit www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0604 to leave your comments. Tell the FDA that 20% isn't good enough, and we deserve every chance to take the best care of ourselves.

Bike Rides, Work, & WIPs

2010-03-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a few weeks since I've posted -- things have been a little crazy :) The short version is that things have been rather busy and I haven't always had access to my computer like I'm used to. The long version? Bike Rides, Work, & WIPs, oh my :)

Bike Rides
Some of you know that I have Type 1 Diabetes (basically, my body depends on an outside source for insulin since my pancreas hasn't worked since I was two years old. No insulin = very, very, very bad times for Mary). In any case, last year my hubby and I participated in the Napa Valley Tour de Cure for the first time... and we intend to do it again this year.

Thanks to some pretty awesome people, I'm already 20% of the way toward completing my $2000 fundraising goal for this year's ride, which is a pretty awesome feeling :) I'm hoping to meet my goal, and complete the 25-mile ride as a Red Rider, riding for myself and for everyone else who has diabetes, whether Type 1 or Type 2.

Work
Things are finally starting to calm down at work after finishing up a crazy week of Ignite events which ended in a nasty cold for me. It's an awesome project though, and it's been amazing to see how quickly things have caught on in the last two years that I've been involved. Definitely a grass roots/community event, and fun to be involved in! So now it's back to the regular hecticness at work instead of that normal chaos combined with overall chaos ;)

WIPs
The baby quilt is still coming along nicely, but I'm having a tough time deciding how to arrange the squares, which are all pieced together at this point. Now they're just sitting on our kitchen table... waiting for inspiration to strike and for me to find the perfect fit :) In the meantime, we haven't been able to invite anyone over, since we have no table to eat at ;) Thank goodness for a coffee table and couches to eat at! :)

Maybe you guys have a better opinion of it than I do... fresh eyes and all, you know?

Which

one

you

best?

;)

Weekend WIPs

2010-02-21T17:22:00.000-08:00

things are coming right along with the baby quilt! all of the 9", 6", and 3" squares are cut, layered, and pinned. it took a while to lay them out and figure out which squares work well together and fit next to each other... but it's so fun to watch how much the quilt changes as you move just one little piece!

here's what i finally decided on, although that decision could change at any minute :)

the next step is to piece everything together, starting with the three layered squares. i'll top-stitch each of those, and then piece each of the 9" squares together. quite the process!

once that's done, i'll start on the animal border. i'm thinking i'm going to use some of the leftover colored fabrics to block out the corners of the quilt, and then applique some of the bigger animals (cut from the Noah's Ark Panel) on top. it'll be a good test of my newly-learned skills.

let me know what you think!

Quick & Easy Patchwork Coasters Tutorial

2010-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

As promised, I've put together a short picture heavy tutorial on how to create a set of six patchwork coasters :)

Step 1: Gathering Your Materials

This project doesn't use anything out of the ordinary...

-seamstress's chalk or some type of erasable fabric pen
-a rotary cutter or fabric scissors
-a ruler (I use my quilting square because I'm horrible at gauging a straight line!)
-a cutting board (if you're using a rotary cutter) or a flat surface to measure your fabric on
-a chopstick (which I forgot to include in the picture, hence the bright red, Photoshopped chopstick that is pictured :) )
-5 coordinating fat quarters of fabric
-felt

Step 2: Choosing Your Fabrics

You'll need five coordinating pieces of fabric, although you can use up to 10 coordinating pieces, depending on how different you want your coasters to be. I usually try to find fat quarter sets, for two reasons. First of all, they already coordinate and are often from the same designer or line of fabric. Secondly, because we'll be cutting 4.5" squares, an 18"x22" piece of fabric works perfectly and isn't too unwieldy if you have a small cutting surface like I do.

Step 3: Cutting Your Fabrics

Iron your fabrics (and please ignore the wrinkles in mine that give away the fact that I didn't iron mine ;) ) and then place them on your cutting mat or flat surface. You'll be cutting 6 4.5" squares from each of your five pieces of fabric. If you have a 12"x18" cutting mat like I do, arrange the fat quarter so it lines up with the 18" side on your left. Trim any extra edges to square up the fabric according to the measurements on your cutting mat. Take your ruler (or look on your cutting mat) and measure 4.5" from the left side, and draw a straight line from top to bottom. Measure another 4.5" from the left, and draw a straight line 9" up from the bottom, then across the top of your rectangle to meet the adjoining chalk lines.

Cut along these lines, then lay your two pieces flat on your cutting surface again. Measure 4.5" in, and cut, then do the same measuring & cutting three more times until each of your squares measures 4.5".

Do the same with your felt -- cutting 6 4.5" squares total.

Step 4: Coordinating Colors

Your finished coasters will include five different pieces of fabric -- four on the top and one on the bottom. Lay your squares out in such a way that the tops coordinate. I've played around with the different combinations a lot and I lean toward using two of the same fabrics on top and a third on bottom, but as you can see, you can use four different pieces on top as well. I've also used three of the same fabric and one different color that stands out. It all depends on what look you're going for and how your fabrics fit together. When you're done arranging your six coaster tops, you'll have six pieces of fabric left over for the bottoms. Set these aside until after you've ironed the top pieces.

Step 5: Ironing and Arranging

Decide whether you want your coasters tops to be squares or triangles and then start pressing the top pieces of fabric, keeping them in sets according to coaster as you go. If you decide to go the triangular route, be sure to line up the sides of your square as you fold it in half, trimming off any excess fabric as you go.

Once you've pressed all of your top pieces, choose a coordinating fabric from your un-pressed stack to finish off the bottom of the coaster.

Steps 6-9: Layering the Fabrics

You're halfway there :) There aren't any truly "difficult" steps in this project, but this one might be the most confusing, so take a deep breath! Here we go...

Step 6: Place your felt square on a flat surface, and place the coasting backing right-side up on top of the felt. Easy enough, right? :)

Step 7: Place your first triangle (or rectangle) on top of the backing and square it up with the corner(s). Place your second triangle on top of the first, moving counter-clockwise (you'll thank me for this later :) ). Again, square this one up with the corners and the first triangle that's already been placed.

Step 8: Place your third triangle on top of the pile, again moving counter-clockwise. Square this one up with the corners it touches as well as the fabric across from it and make sure they aren't overlapping very much, if at all. You also don't want to have a gap in the center, so if you need to nudge it towards the middle a little bit, go ahead and do this. If you've cut your squares correctly, however... everything should fit perfectly :)

Step 9: Take your last triangle and place it in the last corner. Then lift up the first triangle (or rectangle) you placed, and tuck the final triangle under it (similar to how you would secure a cardboard box without any tape). Square all four pieces of fabric and make sure they're not poking over the sides of the felt, etc.

Repeat steps 6-9 until all of your coasters are set up and ready to sew.

Step 10: Top Stitching

Now is when you'll start to thank me for making you place the triangles/rectangles in a counter-clockwise position. You'll start top-stitching, moving in a clockwise position, and the way you have placed the top pieces will allow you to sew in a smooth fashion, without causing the fabric to fold or catch.

I don't usually pin the layers of each coaster together, but if you're worried about fabrics slipping, feel free to pin as much as needed. Start top-stitching in the center of one side, with a quarter inch seam. When you reach the corner, lower your needle into the fabric, then raise your sewing machine foot and rotate your fabric 90 degrees to line up your fabric and stitch the second side. Continue sewing and turning until you're back to the spot where you started. Stitch about an inch over your initial starting point to secure the threads, then set the coaster aside.

Repeat until all six coasters are top-stitched and secure.

Step 11: Trimming Corners

Trim the corners of your now top-stitched coasters, making sure to not cut the stitches, but to trim just outside of them. Then sit & admire the cute little pile of trimmed corners :)

Step 12: Turning the Coasters

Place the center of your middle finger on the corner you've just trimmed, and your forefinger and ringfinger on either side. Stick your thumb inside the pile of fabric, in between the top and bottom fabrics, and find the inside corner of the fabric. Turn the coasters inside-out and push the corners as far out as possible with your fingers.

Step 13: Squaring it Up

Using your chopstick or another long, thin device like the eraser-end of a pencil, push the corners out to square up the coaster. Be careful to not poke through the stitches, but square it up as much as possible so that your fabric isn't bunched up inside the coaster.

Step 14: Pressing for the Last Time

Press your coasters one last time... pretty self-explanatory ;)

The Finished Product

If you're giving your coasters away, tie them up with a pretty ribbon and send them on their way! If you're keeping them for yourself, enjoy them just as they are. :)

*Note: because these are made with fabric and felt, they can be washed & dried just like any other fabric items! And that, in my mind, is the best thing about them :)

If you make any coasters using this tutorial, I'd love to see them! Happy crafting :)

two realizations

2010-02-10T21:45:00.000-08:00

i've made two realizations today that, for some reason, i felt were blog-worthy. feel free to correct me if i'm wrong in this assumption ;)

1) after my first experience with fasting post-migraines, i switched to fasting from Starbucks coffee for the 40 day period. a significant sacrifice, since my husband works there (at least through next week he does... then no more opening shifts - woohoo :) ) and we get free coffee. anyways... my realization. after 40 days of not drinking Starbucks, i had it for the first time again this morning, and realized... wait for it... i don't like it anymore! maybe that's for the better, since 1) each drink has an exorbitant amount of calories and sugar, both of which are bad for my diabetes and 2) it means we won't be spending money there once hubby's not working there anymore.

2) this Christmas quilt, while the fabrics are gorgeous and the design is equally beautiful, is going to be a lot of work. and a lot of piecing. and a lot of time. therapeutic, yes, but still... a lot of work. it might be a WIP for a while :)

slowly but surely... :)

Weekend WIPs

2010-02-07T23:34:00.000-08:00

hi guys :) i'm sure all of you who enjoy crafting are much like me and have gobs of projects in mind... as well as a few (dozen) in progress ;) as of a recent count, including machine sewing projects and cross-stitch projects... i'm up to 8 current works in progress (WIPs) and i thought it was about time that i started blogging some of them :)

two of these WIPs are quilts, and that's what i chose to focus on this weekend. i made an amazing discovery last weekend when i laid out my large cutting mat on our kitchen table, pulled it away from the wall, and realized i could make better use of my living space, which coincides with my crafting space :) Ryan might not be as pleased as I am to lose the use of the "living" side of our kitchen table, namely, you know, eating... but he IS pleased that i'm making good progress on these WIPs, because he thinks that it will diminish my pile of projects. that, of course, implies that i won't start more in the meantime ;)

in any case, the first of the two quilts is based on the filmstrip quilt from CrazyMomQuilts. it's a Christmas quilt, so potentially i have plenty of time to finish it before next Christmas ;)

i'm in love with this fabric i found for the back of the quilt. it's got a vintage feel to it while still being current enough to fit with the other fabrics. so fun :) i'm planning to make it a double-quilt and put a few of the patchwork film squares on the back as well. i've just started piecing squares together but i'm learning as i go! i'm sure it's going to change as i go, but it's going to be fun to see what happens.

the second quilt is a baby quilt for one of my friend's upcoming baby boy. she went with me last week to pick out fabrics, and we found the most adorable pastel flannels at Quilted Angel to integrate into a Noah's Ark theme.

it's going to be so fun to see how this quilt comes together, as i'm combining a ragged squares quilt, another quilt from Amanda at CrazyMomQuilts.com, with a traditional baby-quilt border and backing... and integrating the baby animals from a separate panel along the way.

i'm still waiting for two of the fabrics but when i start cutting and piecing i'll be sure to take more pictures.

i know it's a little crazy for me to be tackling two different quilts at the same time, as i have no quilting experience whatsoever. piecework? yes, but quilting? no. i think i'll be asking you all a lot of questions along the way! :)

in any case... here's to hoping that you all got some progress made on your current WIPs this weekend. i'd love to hear what you're working on! have a great start to your week :)

my drug of choice = crafting

2010-01-25T15:08:00.000-08:00

after an insane start to January that included 35 hours of overtime and working an 8-hour-day on Saturday, i made myself take the time to craft on sunday, in amongst church, lunch, house-work, and Bible study. mind you, i was up until 12:30am as a result, but boy was it worth it! :)

so often i tell myself that i just don't have the time to sit down and craft, but when it's my way of relaxing and de-stressing, it becomes almost a necessity sometimes... regardless of if i think i have the time for it or not.

in any case, i was finishing up a few patchwork coasters that have been languishing on my craft desk for the past two months, and it was high time i finished them... and since so many people have been asking me how to make them, i thought i would post a quick, but picture-laden, tutorial once i get all the pictures processed. stay tuned! :)

Wednesday Wish List

2010-01-20T19:06:00.000-08:00

on the top of my wish list this week? not ideas... not books... not even craft supplies. just time.

time to finish up the last few sets of coasters that are sitting, waiting to be sewn.

time to look at all the new books and supplies i do have, as a result of Christmas presents and gift cards.

time to breathe, and to take in the beautiful rainstorms we've been having lately.

time to simply pop in a movie or two for an evening while i curl up under blankets, and simply relax. < sidenote >husband and i got to do that this past saturday, which was amazing... but those opportunities don't come often enough.< /sidenote >

in any case... that's all i'm really wanting this week. just time. that shouldn't be too difficult, right? ;-)

#CraftSocial

2010-01-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

If any of you are lucky enough to be home right now and are involved with Twitter (you can find me at @candidcrafts), take note of the #CraftSocial conversation that's happening right now! From 1-3 PM EST, you can join other crafters talking about what they're working on, where they're from, and what their favorite craft tools, books, or current projects are.

I so wish I could be involved, but unfortunately I'll be watching the feed and drooling from my cube, 12 miles away from my home and all my crafting supplies. Maybe next time the event will be held on a weekend ;)

Enjoy!

Organizational Skills Trials

2010-01-09T01:03:00.000-08:00

I've been on an organizational kick lately. I purchased Organizing Your Craft Space with a B&N gift card I received for Christmas (yay "free" books!)

Looking through it tonight, I realized that my 6' space of desk that I have just doesn't fit the amount of crafting that I (want to) do. My hubby Ryan & I have thought about other alternatives, but it's just not seeming to be feasible in our >1000 sq. ft. apartment that's filled with stuff. We've experimented a bit with thoughts of transforming the closet in the 2nd bedroom into a crafting closet, but can't figure out an easy way to do it without dismantling the closet or adding extra shelves, which isn't an option in our rental.

In any case, I'm going off on a tangent. I've been organizing lately. It all started when my hubby bought me a shelving unit to put my cookbooks on, so I can actually reach them rather than having to grab the step stool or climbing on the counter to reach the high cupboards. With that top cupboard almost empty, I was able to move all the knick-knacks crowding out the linens in the linen closet (and yes, there's something wrong with that picture! ;)). Once those were moved, I could rearrange the linens so they actually fit!

Then it came to putting away the Christmas decorations... at which point I almost gave up on the idea of organizing and consolidating. I mean, just looking at the pile of Christmas decorations, and then our boxes they used to be in... it's a scary process *sigh* In any case, we went from 7 boxes & 1 large bag of Christmas stuff to 4 boxes, with an extra box for Christmas tins, which are almost gone now that I used them for Christmas goodies this year! :) In any case, it's quite the accomplishment. Things are finally organized according to what it is (i.e. Christmas village in one box, ornaments in another, etc.), rather than everything just thrown into boxes & packed back into our garage.

In the process, I emptied a Rubbermaid container, which is exciting since I now have another container in which to store fabric, which is desperately needed since the recent purchases before & after Christmas out-grew my current boxes. Which brings me back to the fact that eventually, I need a crafting space of my own, even if it's half of a room somewhere. A few shelves for fabrics, a nice tall work table that I can stand or sit at, and an area to store all my tools.

But for now, I'll continue organizing, sorting through, and getting rid of unnecessary things around the apartment, in hopes that one of these days we'll have the space to allow for just a little more room in my corner of the second bedroom, which is my crafting area :)

New Books in Store for 2010... and a few resolutions.

2009-12-31T20:45:00.001-08:00

I have a few new books to work through in 2010, and for years to come, I'm sure. While I still have plenty of crafting books to work through, I'm also the proud new recipient of Sewing: 2010 Day-to-Day Calendar. It's an awesome calendar that has over 100 sewing patterns and projects to work on throughout the year. Although I'm not sure if it will be possible, seeing as I have a full-time job among a lot of other commitments, I'm making it my goal to complete each of the projects by the end of the year. Given that they aren't super-complicated or complex patterns, I think I'll be able to do it. I just might have a lot of extra Christmas presents for 2010 and many random craft items to sell at next year's craft fair ;)

I'm also looking forward to seeing copies of Applique Your Way: 35 Pretty Projects & Patterns and One Line a Day: A Five-Year Memory Book, both from Chronicle Books. I kept a written journal for years, but lately it's just seemed like another item to check off my list, and I lost my desire to write in it a while back. I'm hoping that participating in the "One Line a Day" book will get me writing for myself again, recording what's going on in my life on a regular basis! We'll see what happens ;)

The applique book should be great as well, since I tried applique for the first time this year, and while the ladybugs stuck well to the pockets, peeling the Wonder Under fabric off didn't go so well :) I made a few dresses for Dani, a precious little 2-year-old girl, and my dear husband was stuck peeling the backs off of the Wonder Under fabric. :) Maybe the book will have a few tips for me to work through that process. Or maybe you, my faithful readers, have a few comments yourself? :)

In any case, I'm really hoping to devote more time to crafting this year, and hopefully by the end of the year, have a more dedicated place to work on my craft projects! Here's to a great new year, and to improving our craft skills all around! I'll share my tips if you share yours :) Happy New Year!

craft fairs, Christmas, quilts, and more.

2009-12-28T16:28:00.000-08:00

Just because I let the blog go for a little while, doesn't mean by any extreme that I haven't been crafting! I did a few odds and ends things through the summer, and finished my first ever clothing item, which was an exciting feat. I have to say, Chic & Simple Sewing: Skirts, Dresses, Tops, and Jackets for the Modern Seamstress (which that skirt is made from) has to be one of my new favorite books. There are so many patterns for clothing that I would easily pick up in the store this weekend and wear until it's completely worn out! Now I just need the talent to make all of those clothes :)

October brought the idea of participating in my first craft fair, which led to many late nights of making various patchwork coasters and reversible table runners! It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun, and by the time I finished that weekend, I had agreed to participate in the annual craft fair held at my work as well, which was actually far more successful than my first!

December brought Christmas, which, as I'm sure a lot of you know, means making presents and figuring out what particular presents and fabrics fit which particular people. Fun none-the-less, but a little stressful :) After all, I'm still in the process of working on two different stitcheries that were intended for last Christmas. One of these days they'll get done! ;)

As a result of the Christmas projects and finishing up coaster sets, I have leftover Christmas fabric, which has inspired me to make a Christmas quilt. I'm still debating between a few styles, but I'm excited about the prospects!

In any case, I just wanted to check in and make sure you guys knew that I hadn't completely deserted you! I'm still here, and still crafting as much as ever. Hopefully I'll find the time to be posting here more frequently as well. You're more than welcome to keep me accountable :)

On one closing note, I'm looking to find a book that can act as my "mentor" for sewing questions when I don't have a physical person to turn to. While a book could never replace a real live person, it's a good resource to have around the house as well! So I've found these two books:

Complete Photo Guide to Sewing - Revised + Expanded Edition: 1200 Full-Color How-To Photos (Singer)

New Complete Guide to Sewing (Readers Digest)

Any suggestions from the peanut gallery? If I'm going to spend the money on a book like this, I really want to be sure that I've found the right one, and unfortunately, our library system is closed for a few weeks due to funds, so I don't have anywhere to check these books out in the meantime, since neither of them are at the local bookstores right now. In any case, I'd rather have real-live advice from you guys out there than the few (very contradictory) customer reviews on Amazon. So I'd appreciate any input you can give! Or... if you have another book that seems like a better fit, recommend away :)

Thanks, friends. Hope to hear from you soon... and I hope that I haven't lost all of you faithful readers during my hiatus from the blog. :) Catch you all later.

-Mary

p.s. props to my dad who took the new photo in my banner :) i get my photography skills from him ;)

to be continued...

2009-06-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

hi guys. sorry for the lack of blogging in the last month & a half. i'm sure i've lost a lot of you readers in the meantime, but for those of you who are still around, waiting for that next post... i figured i owe you a bit of an explanation.

while i love blogging and love the opportunities this site has brought me over the past few months, i'm going to have to take a step back for a while. i'll be back -- that much i know. this isn't a project that i want to give up on, but with how busy life has gotten lately, i don't have the time to craft like i used to... and even when i do have the time to craft, i don't have the time to post on here, or even keep up on the blogs that i follow.

so this is just "see you later" for a little while -- until life calms down & i have more time to spend crafting and blogging and following all of you wonderful people on your own adventures :)

until then...

away we go...

2009-05-07T01:14:00.000-07:00

Off on vacation so things will be a little bit quiet around here for the next 2 weeks. I'll be sure to come back with pictures & stories & keep plugging away at the giant list of blogging ideas that are rolling around in my brain! :)

Don't miss me too much ;)

busy times! also... February craft challenge (finally!)

2009-05-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

I knew that this past week & a half was going to be busy, but a few unexpected things (oh, like buying a car) made it a bit more hectic than I had planned! my best friend bought a new car a few days ago and left a nice car needing a good home. seeing as my car was needing repairs more & more often, we had been thinking about a new car anyways. when the most recent problem (a crack in the rear axle) led to the repairman telling me the there was no rear axle available in the entire continental US, Puerto Rico, or Guam, we knew that something had to be done. so for a decent price, we decided to buy the 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage de Coupe off of my friend... and figure out a way to either sell my car or get the state to buy it back :)

anyways... in the midst of the busy week i finally managed to get pictures of the newly finished shower curtain (February's craft challenge) and dig out pictures of the fabric basket that I sent off to Bley (March's craft challenge)! So without further ado... pictures of the infamous shower curtain :)

and the finished product...

what do you think? I think that's definitely the biggest project I've tackled thus far... and I really like the way it turned out! It's been brightening up our bathroom for several weeks now and I think it's a keeper :)

more tomorrow on how I made it and the book that I used to help me out!

Wow!

2009-04-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, so people really DO read this blog! Or maybe I just need to get myself out there a little more often :)

After participating in Park City Girl's 0online quilt festival (fabulous idea, btw!) my number of visitors went up... and so did my comments! Just look at all those pretty little words :)

I feel like a proud mama :) Thanks, friends! And be sure to stop by (and comment ;)) again!

*I think I'm addicted :^)*

Happy Etsy Day!

2009-04-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

I've heard rumors throughout the blogosphere that today has been declared Etsy Day by none other than... Etsy :) I actually heard about it in the twittersphere (you can find me at @candidcrafts)... not the blogosphere... but decided to play along none-the-less.

Therefore, here are a few of my favorite Etsy items... some sold out, some still for sale... but just a few of the beautiful things I have found over the last few months.

Hello Stranger, by dkim

Small Beaded Clay Journal, from Bibliosophy (Bley also runs the Bibliosophy Books blog, which hosted the Cozy Domesticity swap -- pictures about that later!)

LivvieLee doesn't have anything for me right now... but what little girl wouldn't love this Blue & Brown Apron? She always has adorable things in her shop.

and lastly... these prints (this one is called "Baby Rain" by the poppy tree are just too sweet. check out the others... she's got some serious talent!

one of these days i hope to have an Etsy shop of my own... what are some of your favorite Etsy spots for inspiration?

under construction...

2009-04-21T09:49:00.001-07:00

a bit of redesign happening today (and possibly throughout the week)...

just an fyi in case links are broken, etc. :) feel free to let me know what's wrong with the page!

In Honor of the First Online Quilt Festival...

2009-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

I'm revisiting my first quilting adventure due to the first ever online quilt festival, hosted by Park City Girl (which is a fabulous idea, btw!).

My dad's sister started quilting about a decade ago (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!) and her creations are breathtaking. Filled with vibrant colors, innumerable swirls and pinwheels and colors for every season, she has handquilted (almost) all of her quilts and is just now learning how to machine quilt, which, I might add, she is equally talented at. I've always loved looking at her quilts and visiting quilts shops with her.

With this inspiration under my belt, I decided in late high school that I too would make a quilt. Starting with a huge pile of scraps from my mom's fabric bag, I measured & cut 5"x5" blocks with a paper pattern (which led to a few 4.5" blocks as well as other wonky shapes & sizes). I then laid out all the blocks on my parent's living room floor, which was quickly covered... and then proceeded to arrange them... and rearrange them... and arrange them yet again, until I was told that the living room floor must be returned to normal. Needless to say, it was a sad day. ;)

The stacks of blocks sat for quite some time after that, until during a Christmas break two years later I decided it had to be either a) finished or b) ditched. I came up with a pattern I liked... found the perfect backing (a "flower power" sheet that my mom no longer wanted or needed)... and figured out the best alternative to quilting (sewing vintage buttons on all of the navy blue corduroy squares that alternated with prints across the quilt).

Even though the patched strips aren't exactly straight and the blocks don't line up due to the different types of fabric (note to self: knits, denim, and old sheets don't stretch the same way...), it was a HUGE accomplishment for me. I found a way to cram it into my already-full suitcase, and dragged it across the country back to school, sleeping under it most nights in the dorm.

Now, it's losing buttons periodically, but it's still on the back of the couch in our small apartment, ready for cuddling on cold nights.

Sunday Stash: WhizBang Fabrics

2009-04-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

yes, yes... I've been gone for weeks -- again. so much for the new years resolution! oh well... i guess if you've been following along these last few months, you know how busy it's been. things have been (and will continue to be, i'm sure, sporadic). moving right along... :)

a few months back, i received word that a diamond in the rough fabric store in San Francisco, WhizBang Fabrics was closing. i immediately started pleading for a day trip to the city... for valentine's day... to show our new puppy around town... and simply because we hadn't been there for a while. :) ryan said yes, and off we went on our adventure -- with a promise that i a) wouldn't spend too much time in the shop and b) wouldn't spend too much money. *ahem*

moving on... here are a few of the gorgeous pieces i came away from the store with... :)

my wonderful hubby actually picked these one out. we were about ready to check out and he says "did you see these ones?" two of the most wonderful pieces of japanese fabric for a little boy's room. not that we have a little boy, or even a little boy's room, or a little boy in the relative future... but... that's the whole point of a stash, right? :)

a gorgeous silky piece that i'm not sure what i'll use for... but it was half price and gorgeous... and again, that's the whole point of the stash ;)

an oilcloth piece that has an asian flair to it. thinking of using it for a reusable lunch bag or a cosmetics/travel bag. thoughts?

wouldn't this amazing corduroy be perfect for a little girl's jumper? granted... no little girl in our house and none in the near future, but we do know quite a few little girls... one in particular who happens to be my favorite -- maybe i could figure out something for her :)

and last but not least... the button stash :) they had all sorts of amazing buttons to sort through... and after i saw that ryan was getting bored, i finally agreed it was time to go ;) i think i could have spent all day there!

that's all for now... gotta go get some stuff done around the house. here's to more updates in the near future! :)

Wednesday Wish List (on Thursday)

2009-03-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

my Wednesday Wish List is extremely short this week. so short, in fact, that it contains only one little item. that one little item, however... could make all the difference in the world. so here it is... are you ready for it? are you sure? the only thing i'm wanting right now...

more time.

***

that's it. for right this second, i've got all the craft supplies i want... i've got all the fabric i need... i've got all the inspiration that comes from looking at amazing craft books. i just don't have the time to implement anything.

which would explain why i haven't updated since march 4th... 3 full weeks. this also explains why just two nights ago i finished my february craft challenge... almost a full month late, and ironically, a day after i finished my march craft challenge. it explains why my banner still claims that it's winter-time... when, in fact, it's been spring for the last 6 days. it also explains why this post doesn't have the completed pictures of my craft challenges... just the statement that they're done, and a few "in progress" shots of the now-finished (and amazing-looking if i do say so myself) shower curtain that is now hanging in our bathroom.

::edit:: nevermind... i don't even have in progress shots -- they haven't been loaded onto my computer yet. *sigh*

however, i do have to say that i found the time to finish up the cozy domesticity swap that i entered back in january... just barely, but i did! i'm excited to see what Bley thinks of the goodies i sent her... and equally excited to see what goodies will be in the box she's sending me! i do have pictures of my swap box, but i'll wait to hear that she's received it before posting them, so as to not spoil the surprise :)

to explain just a bit about why it's been so busy for me (well... us...) lately... let me show you a snapshot of our calendar:

and now add a few things on to that:
- all-day-long meetings wednesday (yesterday) & thursday (today) for me... plus a company dinner meeting tonight
- running around to get my passport paperwork in so we can be ready for our trip to see family (in Canada) in May
- trying to find tickets for a friend to fly out for a visit in the next two months
- long weekend bike rides in preparation for our 25-mile Tour de Cure bike ride the first weekend in May
- preparing for our May vacation (and trying to figure out what we're going to see, where we're going to stay, etc.)
- shopping for wedding presents & birthday presents & baby shower presents... and trying to stay within budget at the same time!
- finishing up taxes (no... they're still not done) and figuring out what the VitaFlex insurance refund will accept as "refundable"
- trying to figure out how i'm going to balance two days working at a conference in the city directly followed by a long solo drive to LA (going down on Friday & back up on Monday) and then jump back into the work environment on Tuesday
- reminding myself that if i even stand a chance of succeeding with any flowering plants this year on our small 2nd-story porch, i need to get them planted & growing well now... not in the summer (btw... anyone know of a good place to buy flower boxes? i'm considering trying those instead of just potted plants. also, if anyone knows of plants that flourish in full sun, pots, and lots of heat, let me know -- i seem to kill everything we try to grow out there!)

now do you believe me? :)

please accept my deepest apologies... and stay tuned for pictures to come of the shower curtain (i promise this time!!)

Wednesday Wish List: Places to Go

2009-03-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

I've been in a traveling mood lately. Wait - let me rephrase that. More accurately, I've been in a "I need a mental health week from work" mood, which has led to a "If I had a mental health week from work, what would I do?" mood, which led to a "where do I want to travel?" mood. ahem. :)

So... here we are. My top 10 list of places to go (at this second) in no particular order:

10. Grand Canyon. Ryan's never been there (which automatically shoots it to the top 10 list) and although I've been there a few times, it's been a while. I'd love to take the hike down to the bottom of the canyon... see the waterfalls and the river. If I wimp out on that, then a nice alternative would be riding the mules down. We'll see :)

9. Portland, OR. Again, Ryan's never been... and I've only been once. There are so many more things I've heard about and seen pictures of since that time... and I'm really wanting to explore it a bit more.

8. London. I've been once, Ryan's been once (or is that twice?). I loved it, all two days that I was there. I'd love to go back and explore the city more, as well as explore the surrounding countryside. Stories of rolling hills (like here) and cute cottages (anyone seen The Holiday?) intrigue me, as do all of the famous sight-seeing expeditions through the city streets. (besides... I miss hearing the mysterious voice saying "mind the gap")

7. Vancouver, BC, Canada. Another one of those "I've been there, Ryan hasn't" places... but it's just so amazing from what I remember of it! I remember taking the ferry over to Victoria Island and the gorgeous gardens... it's a must-see in spring.

6. Boston. I'm intrigued by my sister's love for the city... she's not a city person and usually doesn't like the hustle & bustle... but both she & her husband enjoyed it. Besides, fall in the northeast? It can't get better than that :)

5. Colorado. Ryan's family has a gorgeous piece of property in the middle of the mountains... and we're both dying to see it one of these days. (correction: i'm dying to see it... ryan's dying to go back!).

4. Hawaii. We went for our honeymoon, but didn't see nearly enough in my opinion (although my opinion was quite different when we were there, since we didn't want to spend all of the sunny days in the car driving around the island). I want to see the waterfalls in the mini-rainforest, the volcanoes (although I might be able to do without the helicopters flying over the volcanoes - yikes!). I want to learn how to surf, and manage to bodysurf without tearing my back up against the one (ONE!) rock on the entire beach (go figure). Most of all, I want to experience the laid-back, nonchalant, relaxing spirit we felt there the first time. I could really go for some of that relaxing right now... :)

3. Alaska. I'm intrigued by it... and Ryan just wants to live there :) He did live there for three years and loved it... but then again he's always a good 15 degrees warmer than I am :)

2. Pacific Northwest by Rail. Admit it... it sounds like fun, right? Wait til you read the description from the NY Time's website:
Amtrak’s Empire Builder delivers a greatest hits of the American landscape. Beginning in Chicago, passing through the Great Plains and the other-worldly Glacier National Park and ending in Seattle or Portland, Ore., the roughly 48-hour ride is a throwback to the golden age of train travel. Old-fashioned dining cars serve freshly cooked meals (flat iron steak, roasted game hen) on tables decked out in white tablecloths. The panoramic sightseeing lounge and sleeping compartments have a certain “North by Northwest” charm. And rangers from the National Park service are periodically on board to provide narrative along the route as a part of a Trails and Rails program.
Amazing, right? :)

1. New York City. I believe I was born a city girl at heart. When I visited NYC a few years ago, I fell in love with it. A few months after, I had the privilege to go back to the city for three weeks of intense journalism classes. It was a dream come true for me. Not only was I learning about journalism and becoming a better writer, I had the ability to spend all of my free time exploring an amazing city. I loved the people, the opportunities for stories, the constant chatter and noise, the fact that no matter what time of day it was, you could find an open coffee shop to sit and relax at. oh, I miss it. And one of these days we'll be back. Odd how it became such a home to me so quickly.

So that's it... my list of 10 places I'd love to go to right now :)

And just how perfect would this carrying case be for a world traveler? You can add it to my wish list of things as well... ;-)

That's all for now... check back later for another update on the *ahem* February (yes, I know, it's March now) Craft Challenge!

February Craft Challenge, part 1

2009-03-02T21:43:00.000-08:00

I admit it. I missed the February deadline for my monthly craft challenge. It kinda bums me out that I've already missed the goal and it's only the second month. :-/ Can I use the excuse that we haven't had a free weekend since... January? And that the past week & a half was filled with birthdays? The only free weekend we did have in February was spent biking 26 miles (in preparation of this) and then nursing a re-injured/strained knee as a result. ::sidenote:: please be praying that my knee heals in time for us to complete the 25 mile ride for the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure in May!

anyway, back on track. at least i started the project... as in, bought the fabric, planned it out, drew up measurements and made a list of steps... and took a preliminary picture. that counts, right? :) let me explain.

a few months ago i began participating in the sunday stash blogging ring, and posted this picture as a result. bookwormbethie was kind enough to start up a conversation via flickr comments, and suggested i use the fabric to make a shower curtain. when joann's had finally restocked their supply and i got a new 40% off coupon (aren't those wonderful things!) i bought a full 4 yards as well as a contrasting red dotted fabric and began the process of learning how to create a shower curtain.

luckily, thanks to the lovely Christina at Chronicle Books, i have the French General: Home Sewn book, which has the specifications for a shower curtain, among many other bathroom and home projects. (note: review coming soon...) using measurements from the book and going off of my own instincts as well, I've begun cutting pieces for the shower curtain.

sewing begins tomorrow night... stay tuned!

p.s. any suggestions on easy ways to sew button holes? it's the one thing about this project i'm terrified of... but i did tell myself i was going to take risks and learn new things! after all, it is the monthly craft challenge... right? :)

Coming Soon...

2009-02-25T09:48:00.000-08:00

- a review of French General: Home Sewn: 30 Projects for Every Room in the House
- the February installment of the monthly craft challenge
- pictures from purchases at the close-out sale of Whizbang Fabrics
- my love of freecycle

but for now... it's happy birthday to me! :) have a great day, all.

a completely unrelated wish list item...

2009-02-18T16:17:00.000-08:00

...one that i just spotted over at CraftZine that's being sold at Bold & Noble. decor8's blog entry displays it so well...

how absolutely perfect is this poster for a craft room or indie shop?

*sigh...* still dreaming :)

Wednesday Wish List: projects

2009-02-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

as mentioned in a previous post, i'm thoroughly addicted to craft blogs. i think part of it is the inspiration i get from seeing what other highly talented people can accomplish with their time, and part of it is wishing that 1) i was that talented and 2) i had that much time!

so, on the false premises that i 1) am that talented and 2) have that much time... ;-) here's my wish list for the week: projects i would like to accomplish.

these pillows from Molly's Sketchbook (part of The Purl Bee are absolutely fantastic. i love the fact that they incorporate designs instead of just one fabric, as well as the fact that they seem to curve in on the sides, making the corners poke out just so. there's so many possibilities here--i'd love to play around with them!

this tea wallet from Christy's Creations has me thinking about making myself a new wallet. i've had the same one for a while now -- a handmade/woven one from Lebanon that Ryan's grandparents brought back for me from a trip a few years ago. it's started to wear out, and the one i switched to must have been a little cheaper than i thought it was, as it's already falling apart on me. i've been playing around with some sketches and ideas for a while now, and i really like Juliette's modified version over at Chickpea Studio.

if you had seen my room at college, you would understand when i say that i love pictures and picture frames. i still do... but with a lack of space, there aren't as many displayed as there used to be. one of these days when i have my own craft room (yes, i'm still dreaming :)) i'd love to have all sorts of pictures on the walls. one fun way to take care of this is to make a scrabble board picture frame. with tiles from the scrabble game and a cork tile secured to the back, you can glue thumbtacks to the back of the tiles and use them as captions for your pictures that show through the frame of the board, or simply tape on to the front for easy rearranging.

lastly, i'm in love with the artsy clutches from bend the rules sewing. most of the book i could do with or without -- it's not one that i'm crazy for, but this clutch is perfection. i made one for my sister for christmas, and am still regretting not keeping it for myself, since by her reaction i'm not sure if she'll use it! i made it with alexander henry's blue koto, which i'm desperately trying to find more of. i'm almost out and i have so many more things i could use it for! i guess i'll just have to make another one for myself... and then find more of that fabric :)

i think i'll wrap it up for now. there are so many other projects that i'm longing to tackle, but a girl only has so many hours in a day, right? speaking of which... my lunch break is now over -- it's back to work for me! :)

january craft challenge

2009-02-15T22:28:00.000-08:00

finally... pictures from my january craft challenge :) i chose to work out of my In Stitches book by amy butler. the floor pillows were the perfect choice as i was finishing them up right before we had about 18 people over for the super bowl! however... i think our puppy has used them more than anyone else :) he claimed them right from the beginning, as you can see...

i made a "smaller" one as well, which i anticipated would be much smaller than it actually turned out to be :)

both of these pillows were rather large... and if (when) i make them again i will most likely shrink the measurements a bit. they are extremely comfortable however. the first is made out of heidi grace's midnight kisses line (which i love!), the second from a thrifted sheet and vintage buttons. oh what fun vintage buttons are :)

i'm still debating what to make for this month's craft challenge. i know... the month is more than half over and i really should be decided already, but i'm still debating between a few options. the main one that i think i'll go with is the travel bag from French General's Home Sewn book. my makeup bag is getting a bit worn, and i bought the most perfect piece of oilcloth from WhizBang Fabrics, which is sadly going out of business soon! more on my purchases from them in a later post... i got some great deals!!

anyway, moving on... look for a new project coming up soon, as well as a few book reviews, one of which will be the French General book. it's a good one!

enjoy the rest of your three-day weekend (if you get to enjoy the day off!) i'll be curled up on my couch, catching up on my pleasure-reading and going through old magazines, thanks to a great find on freecycle (more on that later as well!) things to look forward to :)

A Little More About Me

2009-02-09T14:38:00.001-08:00

**the January Craft Book Challenge blogpost is coming... I promise! but for now...

A little more about me :) This is actually from Facebook, but I figured it'd be fun to post up here as well. I'm not "officially" tagging anyone, but it'd be great to learn more about you all as well! If you do post your own, be sure to leave me a comment and let me know. Enjoy! :)

1. i have never dyed my hair, although if i spend enough time in the sun during the summer i usually end up with reddish highlights (thanks to my grandpa's genes! :))

2. the beach is by far my favorite place to be and if i could live there, i would.

3. when i was a kid i always wanted to live in san francisco--every time we visited i watched for "apartment for rent" signs in the windows

4. p.s. - i still want to live in san francisco :)

5. my best friend jodi & i watched "you've got mail" in stages every friday our senior year in high school after selling chocolate at safeway to finance our class's trip to DC

6. while "you've got mail" is still one of my favorite movies, my husband won me over to "his" movies (i.e. shoot-em-up, war movies) as well

7. i draw the line at movies like "scorpion king" where you can literally leave the room for 45 minutes and know exactly what's going on when you walk back in

8. i love little kids and tend to "adopt" others kids as my own temporarily

9. luckily... the parents whom i "borrow" the kids from don't mind at all! they think i do a great job :)

10. ryan and i are looking for a bit more financial stability and job security before having kids... but we already have a boy's name picked out thanks to my uncle's suggestions :)

11. although my "this is what i want to be when i grow up" statements changed frequently when i was young, they all revolved around similar topics: author, journalist, novelist, editor, copywriter, etc.

12. now that i am "grown up," i'm not writing published works on a daily basis, but i do work for a publishing company in their public relations department, so i am fulfilling my dream of writing! we'll see where else my love for words and writing and editing takes me someday.

13. i love to travel and want to do it far more than my job allows. it doesn't matter where--i just love seeing new places and doing new things.

14. i am NOT a morning person. i need at least 20 minutes of time to myself in the morning before i'm able to carry on a coherent conversation.

15. fortunately, my husband is the same way and understands completely.

16. unfortunately, our puppy is not the same way and doesn't understand at all.

17. once and for all... our dog's name is ember. no, we didn't name him -- the adoption/shelter company that we got him from did. yes, he's a boy. no, it's not a girly name unless you pronounce it amber, in which case, you're not calling for our dog in the first place... you're calling for the girl who lives down the street. and yes... we like our dog's name, or else we would have changed it :)

18. when we first adopted our dog, we made it a rule that he couldn't be on the couches, up on the bed, or in the 2nd bedroom. we lost the battle re: the couches rather quickly--he now spends a good portion of his day up there. we're in the process of losing the battle with the bed--the last 4 mornings i've woken up with him curled up next to me, fast asleep. we are determined to not lose the battle with the 2nd bedroom. there are too many cords, knickknacks, and expensive gadgets in there for him to get into.

19. although i'm willing to try new things and go to new places, if you ask me what i want to order at a restaurant, 9 times out of 10 i'll settle on a safe favorite rather than branching out. in other words... if i have to pay for it and don't have the choice of eating something else if i don't like the food i ordered... i'm not very adventurous :)

20. food at home, however... i experiment with. constantly. i hardly ever follow a recipe from start to finish -- i substitute items, taking out what we don't like and adding extra spices or other ingredients that sound good. and to my credit... it rarely turns out bad if i do say so myself!

21. i'm addicted to craft blogs. literally addicted. i'm subscribed to 81 different craft blogs via RSS feeds, and have about another 15-20 bookmarked. stop looking so shocked... i told you i was addicted! (p.s. if you find any good ones that i might enjoy--let me know!! ;))

22. i keep a to-do list of projects that need to be done both at work and at home. i don't usually follow them, but for some reason it gives me a sense of accomplishment to just see everything that i have to do written down... even if i have yet to accomplish any of those things.

23. one of my pet peeves is coming home to a house with piles of stuff everywhere--the mail left on the counter, clothes piled by the bed, laundry still in the dryer from the night before, etc. but before you get on ryan's case, you have to realize that even though it's a pet peeve... i'm one of the worst offenders.

24. i enjoy working out... once i actually get myself to the gym. it's the getting to the gym part that's hard for me. gotta work on that one... any suggestions? :)

25. i love the idea of bubble baths... relaxing, enjoying the peace & quiet, nursing sore muscles, or just winding down from a busy week... but in actuality i don't enjoy bubble baths... just the idea of them. maybe if i had a jacuzzi tub? maybe then i would enjoy both the idea and the actual bath :)

Wednesday Wish List: Knitting

2009-02-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

::edit:: sorry for the delay... apparently something is broken in blogger's scheduled posts option. i'm recovering from a 36-hour migraine, and now that i'm able to see straight, sit up for a long period of time, and tolerate both light and noise... i noticed :) more on the january installment of the craft challenge and my reviews for Chronicle.

i was perusing etsy the other day (ok... so, i drool over things on etsy practically every day) and ran across the following things that i'd love to have one day.

let me rephrase that... i'd love to have them... or have the talents to make them. :) most of these items this week are hand-knitted... which is a skill i have yet to acquire. anyone have any suggestions on good knitting books or sites with tutorials? i'd love to learn!

these handwarmers from suetreiber would be wonderful for work! my hands are constantly freezing but it's a little difficult to type with mittens on (believe me... i've tried!). i've heard they're pretty simple to make, so maybe this is one project i could actually accomplish! :)

this "my little mushroom" cap from tottotter is absolutely adorable. i have a few friends that are either pregnant or have little ones, and this would be a great gift! the little girl pictured is equally adorable, yes? :)

this project from strikk is at the top of my "i want to learn to knit, because..." list. :) along with cute clothes and essentials like diapers, etc. those little babies are going to need blankets, and with the warm weather we've been getting lately, heavy quilts or patchwork items aren't always needed! this one would fit the ticket nicely!

and while not listed on etsy, this owl sweater is to die for...

isn't it amazing? she has a free pattern posted on the site as well... so maybe one of these days i'll possess the talent required to make something like that!

alright... enough knitting pictures for now... maybe i should actually concentrate on learning the skill before i start dreaming up everything i could make! better yet... (and for the sake of my dear husband) i should concentrate on finishing all of the projects i already have going now :)

goals for 2009

2009-02-02T21:08:00.001-08:00

so i know i'm a bit late on posting my goals for 2009, but i've given up on making goals on new years day -- those goals were always broken before i had a chance to give them a good run. so now i've figured i take the month of january to evaluate things, think through reasonable goals, and begin to implement them. goals that have been kept thus far (by the end of january) are ones that i will continue through the year. does that make any sense to anyone other than myself? if it doesn't, just humor me... :)

and you can humor me first by enjoying a picture of our puppy at Christmas time :) he's grown quite a bit since then... but this one is too cute to pass up!

so, back to the point: my goals for this year.

1) keep the house straightened on a constant basis. not clean as in dusted, vacuumed, swept, 24/7, but straight. as in... no piles of clothes, mail, ads, coupons, wii supplies, etc. basically, the idea is that if someone were to show up at our doorstep, we wouldn't be embarrassed to let them in our house without first frantically running around to pick up. (note to self: we don't have kids yet. what's going to happen once we do?!?)

2) balance our finances and take care of all bills on the last weekend of each month. we keep up with it on a regular basis, but the more often we can transfer money into savings and keep stocking up our nest egg, the better the interest rates, which means the better our future!

3) plan meals out for a week at a time. this should help tremendously with grocery bills as well as with planning ahead for meals (aka not eating dinner at 7:30 at night, which makes ryan very excited!). i've been using future girl's meal planner and it's been wonderful. we can transfer meals from one night to another, write down all the ingredients needed to make it, and any notes needed (i.e. take the meat out of the freezer, etc.)

4) this one is inspired by WhatKnot and her flickr set tracking her progress. complete one project a month out of the stack of craft books i have... and the new ones i got about a month ago from Chronicle Books. Haven't you heard? I'm one of their newest reviewers. *squeal!!* yep... you heard me right. the books arrived right after Christmas, and i could have sworn it was Christmas all over again :) i'll be reviewing the books on here and completing projects from them... maybe even giving away a book or two once i'm done with the reviews, so stay tuned! and lest you think that i'm already behind with last month, i completed last month's project on saturday, just in the nick of time :) i'll be sharing pictures of my progress in a later post.

5) lastly... i want to hold myself to updating the blog at least twice a week. i know it's not much compared to what some of you hard-core bloggers do, but with work being so busy, it's about as much as i can handle right now. so stay tuned to see what i'll be doing :) and who knows, i may just surprise you (and myself!) by blogging more :) i do enjoy it... i just can't always motivate myself to turn my computer back on after being on it for 8+ hours a day at work :)

so hold me to them, ok? i'll need all the accountability i can get :) pictures coming soon of the first craft challenge accomplishment!

i'm back!

2009-01-30T22:41:00.001-08:00

sorry for the long absence. it wasn't intended, but between 2 colds back-to-back that kept me out-of-commission for several weeks, getting a new dog/puppy that's been taking a lot of our time, and chaos at work due to a lay-off and those of us left having to pick up the extra work... it's been just a tad busy around here lately! :)

needless to say, all things crafty have been a bit on the slow side (read: non-existant). i've had quite a few ideas flying around this brain of mine, but simply no time to implement them. there have been some sketches (although i'm not a great sketcher by any means!) and a lot of jotted ideas.

one of those ideas has been more of a dream for the future... one that my dear husband has been brainstorming on as well :) it may be quite some time before we have the space (or money) to implement it, but it's fun to dream in the meantime! as you can see by the picture below, i'm in great need of a good workspace... and especially a good cutting table. my "cutting table" for right now typically consists of either an ironing board, our coffee table, or the kitchen table, as they're the only surfaces big enough and flat enough to work well.

the problem being, the ironing board is the only one of the three that is tall enough for me to stand at, the kitchen table is the only one large enough for me to cut big projects on, and the coffee table is too short for me to be able to do more than kneel at. we talked about it a little bit the other night, and decided that the best way would be to make it a little higher than table-height to allow me to stand or sit, have cabinets on two or three sides underneath and one side open to sit at. that way i have areas to store supplies as well as cut, iron, and sew. i've been researching it a bit and saw a fantastic idea to layer the top with cork and brown paper/butcher paper to allow for sticking pins in to secure fabric while cutting, patterns while tracing, etc.

minor detail, this all has to wait for a bigger house or at least a bigger craft area. we unfortunately don't have enough room in our second bedroom/office area/craft room/music room for any sort of cutting table. but i can dream :)

any tips or tricks to help me in the quest for a perfect work/cutting table? all i've got is time for now :)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T23:08:00.001-08:00

from my house to yours... Merry Christmas!

Santa's Workshop

2008-12-22T22:14:00.001-08:00

now that we don't have company anymore... i'm back in full christmas-making mode. since i've decided to make most of my presents this year it's definitely cut back on the "oh my gosh--what do i get him/her this year?" dilemma but it hasn't cut back on the "when am i going to find time to finish this/that" predicament. somehow i think that's always going to be a problem :)

on the other hand... i'm crafting far more than i have in a while... and loving it! people are enjoying my hand-made gifts... and i love the feeling of giving something that i have made! on the downside... since all of these crafty projects are also Christmas presents... and i know of at least one or two family members who read this blog (hi mom!) i can't exactly post pictures :) but rest assured that i'm still taking plenty... preparing to blast you all with documentation as soon as the holidays are over :)

on a quick sidenote... there are pictures i can show you... completely unrelated to crafts... but still amazingly cute! :) we adopted a one and a half year old puppy yesterday... named Ember. we got him from an amazing organization called The Milo Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that rescues dogs from local shelters as well as from the streets. he's a border terrier mix... maybe with some pug or jack russel terrier mixed in there. he's got an adorable tail that curls into a perfect circle when it's not wagging his whole little back-side... and the calmest, most mellow personality that i've ever seen in a dog. he's incredibly curious and eager to please, full of energy at the site of a new person or place, but also perfectly content to lay on his bed or cuddle in your lap. he doesn't bark unless he's startled at something, and then it's only a single bark (i told you he's amazing :)) and neither does he slobber all over your face -- it's a quick lick on the chin and that's all the kisses from him :)

he's pretty awesome if we do say so ourselves :)

if i don't have a chance to jump back on before Christmas Day... Merry Christmas to you & yours! :)

and the winner is... me!

2008-12-19T14:48:00.001-08:00

no, not because i'm sick. and no, not because i have 2 weeks of paid vacation from work coming up (although that IS a prize, isn't it? :))

because i won an ornament from the amazing tollipop!

the funniest thing is... since it's been so busy at work & home lately, i haven't had a chance to keep up on my blog-watching, so i only found out because Kristin popped over to my blog to see who the lucky winner (me!) was and left me a comment :) so thanks to her... i know that i won... and i have a great new blog to follow :)

thanks to Amanda for pointing me in the right direction :)

it's officially winter...

2008-12-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

because i'm officially sick :( i woke up with a cold yesterday morning and it's come on full blast in the past few days. sorry for the lack of a "wednesday wish list" post yesterday -- i worked an 8-hour day, then went to meet up with Ryan & fam for dinner, then went to the last rehearsal for our Christmas program on this coming Sunday. Got home at 9:30ish and was in bed by 10, having taken medicine and propped myself up so I could hopefully sleep.

here's hoping i get better soon!

Glimpses of Christmas

2008-12-16T23:10:00.000-08:00

peace

giving

family

just a few glimpes of our celebrating a little early this year so that Ryan's family could join us...

sunday stash: spare change swap

2008-12-14T23:35:00.000-08:00

i got the most amazing spare change package about a week ago. there was squealing. truly. ask ryan :) below are some of my favorites... and i apologize in advance for the quality of these pictures. i was too excited to wait until morning :)

the whole set...

if anyone knows what the following fabrics are... you're officially my new favorite crafting person. :)

how fun would this be for a small clutch?

this mushroom pattern make me think of childhood... not sure what i'm going to make with it, but it's fun!

so in short... thanks to Chickpea Studio for the wonderful swap... and let me know if you can figure out what fabrics these are! who knows... there may be a prize in store :)

happy winter

2008-12-06T00:04:00.001-08:00

i finally got around to posting my "winter 2008" banner -- another photo compliments of Ryan's artistic eye while on our day-after-Thanksgiving hike through the forest. :) more later this weekend...

i'm off to Indie Sacramento tomorrow morning as long as my car gets me there! it should be a fun time :) i'll be back with a full report... and hopefully some Christmas presents!

happy late thanksgiving and early merry christmas...

2008-12-05T22:15:00.001-08:00

i figured i'd wish you a merry christmas at the same time that i wished you a happy thanksgiving... just in case i go MIA again between now and then! yikes... it's been a while since i've posted on here. i'll chalk it up to three main things:

1) going out of town for thanksgiving & having our heater set off our smoke alarms the morning we were supposed to leave... when i was going to post a wednesday wish list blog
2) the panic of realizing that there are only 20 days left until Christmas day... and really only 10 days until Ryan's family Christmas since they'll all be out here the week before
3) working 9-10 hours a day for the past week

needless to say it's been a bit busy... can i get a pass? :) maybe i can buy some mercy with this gorgeous picture from my husband's creative eye :)

on the heater topic... we woke up to a very cold house last wednesday and decided to light the pilot light for the first time and heat it up a bit. we got the pilot light lit... turned up the thermostat... and went about getting ready for work. less than a minute later, our smoke alarms were going off for the first time since we've lived in this apartment. needless to say, we didn't know how to turn them off and they kept going for a little too long at 7:15 in the morning (i'm sure our downstairs neighbors felt the same way). to make a long story short... we got the heater checked out and a piece of (apparently unrelated) plastic from the top of the heating panel as well as all the accumulated dust vacuumed out. now we know for next year :)

but... we have been faithful to keep up with our "freeze yer buns" challenge. the heater's set at 55 at night, and 62 during the day if necessary. we've actually been able to leave the heater off more often than not, turning it on every once in a while to get some heat flowing through the house and then turning it off when it's comfortable. not bad! :)

we're trying to cut back on our costs elsewhere as well... so if you have any suggestions for low-cost (but still good) recipes (especially quick recipes) it would be appreciated! how are you guys trying to save money this winter?

moving on to Thanksgiving... we had a wonderful time with 18 members of my Dad's side of the family. pictures tell the story best... so i'll leave you with those :)

some people have talents...

2008-11-24T15:42:00.001-08:00

...talents which i can only dream about. their brains just think in different ways. for instance... i see thumbtacks as a functional object. one that attaches one item to another with ease. however... they see thumbtacks, and create this:

again... i see yarn... and think of the days ahead in which i'd like to learn how to knit or crochet... normal things, yes? i do not, however, ever envision yarn that forms landscapes like this:

meet Magdalena Bors, an Australian native who is incredibly talented in so many ways. maybe someday my brain will work in this way...

sunday stash... two days late...

2008-11-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

my sunday stash is on tuesday this week... only because i've been waiting to receive the newest addition to my stash -- Cicada Daydream's new fabric. gorgeous! :)

here are the sets that she's selling at her etsy shop:

my progress so far...

2008-11-15T19:06:00.000-08:00

here's my weekend progress for my "to dos vs. do-able" list...

~~fold laundry~~ - DONE! laundry folded Thursday night... put away today :)

~~wash sheets~~ - DONE! albeit today...

~~make 5-minute fudge (yummm!) for couples meeting on Friday night~~ - DONE! granted it took two tries... and we're still not sure what happened to the first batch, but it wound up like a very crumbly brownie mixture... which is now the bottom crust of a pumpkin cheesecake which i made today. we have yet to try it... more on that later :)

~~blog once more (which means... tomorrow :)) hmm... anyone interested in a 5-minute fudge recipe?~~ - well... i'm blogging now, aren't i? :)

~~check off my work to-do list (that's a whole other story in & of itself... yikes!)~~ - mostly done :) not quite everything was accomplished... but enough that i felt confident about leaving work & going home without things falling apart between now & monday :)

~~have fun with friends tomorrow night and RELAX!~~ - DONE! had fun... played lots of games... and reconnected with my favorite little guy -- a 17-month-old boy :)

sleep in - DONE! :) yay for a lazy morning.

figure out what is going in the extended family's Christmas bags this year... - nope... not yet... but i have ideas! one includes the fudge... recipe below :)

~~work on Christmas presents~~ - taking a break from doing that right now... it's been a long afternoon but i've gotten a lot accomplished!

buy fabric for another Christmas present & start formulating how i will pull it off... (while working with irreplaceable items... scary thought!) - not yet... that's a project for tomorrow... as is the Santana Row & TSO concert.

explore Santana Row in San Jose before attending the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert Sunday night (yayyyyyy!! :))

well, i might not be accomplishing my "to-dos" on the days that i planned... but at least they're getting accomplished, right? :)

things are going well, and i'm making significant progress on my Christmas projects, although I'm still thinking that there's no way they can all be accomplished in time -- but I'll keep trying! maybe they can be passed off as new years presents... or chinese new year... :)

in the meantime, i've made 5-minute fudge... and there are precisely 5 pieces left. it was popular! :) need a quick dessert or treat for a holiday party? here's the recipe:

5 oz. evaporated milk
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix evaporated milk, sugar, & salt in saucepan.
Heat to boiling, then cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly (seriously... constantly... or else it'll boil over within a few seconds)
Remove from heat
Add remaining ingredients, stirring to melt chocolate chips & marshmallows
Enjoy... I know we have! :)

to do vs. do-able

2008-11-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

in the spirit of JC Handmade's recent post... and in the spirit of being so overwhelmed with projects that i can't keep track of what day it is, let alone what i'm supposed to be working on next...

here's my list for the week (since there's no way i can cross everything off a list in a day... and not much chance that i'll get all this done in a week either! :)) here's to trying...

tonight:

fold laundry

wash sheets

make 5-minute fudge (yummm!) for couples meeting on Friday night

the rest of the week... (i.e. tomorrow night):

blog once more (which means... tomorrow :)) hmm... anyone interested in a 5-minute fudge recipe?

check off my work to-do list (that's a whole other story in & of itself... yikes!)

have fun with friends tomorrow night and RELAX! :)

the weekend:

sleep in

figure out what is going in the extended family's Christmas bags this year...

work on Christmas presents

buy fabric for another Christmas present & start formulating how i will pull it off... (while working with irreplaceable items... scary thought!)

explore Santana Row in San Jose before attending the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert Sunday night (yayyyyyy!! :))

so there you have it. my wish list (albeit not on Wednesday) for this week is a to-do list! :) and indeed... i wish & hope & pray i can get all of those things done before the week is up & the chaos strikes again!

in the meantime... i'll leave you with this picture of my cousins and i... enjoying each others company after dinner. have a good day!

home again home again...

2008-11-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

a little more tired than when i left (that's what a red-eye flight followed by 4 days of family will do!) but definitely refreshed. it was so good to see my family and visit with cousins who i haven't seen in years, as well as acquaint myself with their little ones. 9 kids 9-years-old and younger... it makes for quite the party!

my grandparents are doing well -- going strong as always. a little slower perhaps, and a little more inclined to take naps, but still putzing along in their own way. at 89 and 94, with 65 years of marriage under their belt (officially on Wednesday) -- that's quite the feat!

pictures & more stories to follow... and back to the crafting soon -- including finished pictures of the "black bag project" which grew on me all weekend until i couldn't help but love it :)

Wednesday Wish List: Thinking Christmas

2008-11-05T17:36:00.000-08:00

yes, i'm jumping the gun a bit, and no, my mom will not be happy with me, Thanksgiving and fall purist that she is :) but... since i've been working on so many Christmas presents lately, it's been on my mind. these aren't necessary "Christmas items" as far as holidays go... but could easily be Christmas gifts for someone in your life... or in mine! :) and true to my handmade pledge... they're all things you can make yourself or buy from another crafty person.

aprons seem to be making a comeback lately and i've been looking for a nice one myself. too often i get home late from work, rushing to make dinner, and wind up with splashes of juice or potatoes or something else on the front of my pants or skirts. solution? an apron that i can grab quickly and use often, but can also throw in the washing machine to get all the grime out. i found this handy site via How About Orange this morning... where I can take my pick of 54 different gorgeous (and easy!) apron patterns. this lined apron tutorial looks relatively quick & easy... and i love the fabric chosen for it! :) perfect for any time of the year... and with enough color to mask many stains.

Christmas tree skirts are always a necessity... although at this moment in time, my husband & i aren't sure where we're possibly going to put a Christmas tree... since we rearranged our living room from last year and added more furniture. i guess it's a good thing that i never completed the cross-stitch Christmas tree skirt that i purchased at after-Christmas sales last year, right? except... i never even started it :) it will be gorgeous when it's done, however! :)

anyways... back to tree skirts. this one has captured my fancy, and luckily... the creator has been generous enough to post a tutorial of it! :) isn't it perfect?

i'm loving Sew Mama Sew right now... since they're posting collections of Christmas gift ideas this month. so helpful :) this pointer-finger pincushion is perfect for anyone in your family who crafts... especially if they do a lot of quilting or piece-work! there's a tutorial to go along with it as well... (note to self... save this one!)

well that's all from me for now... i've gotta dash. heading out to kansas tonight to join my dad's side of the family in a celebratory weekend -- my grandparent's 65th wedding anniversary! i'll be back with lots of pictures and stories galore i'm sure. see you all next week!

The Black Purse Project, Part 1

2008-11-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

so before i get into the tutorial/pictures part of the black purse... let me explain to you what i was (am) looking for out of this purse:

-something i could comfortably carry my computer inside of so i don't have a large purse plus a computer bag/briefcase
-something that would easily handle many items (i.e. a book, a sewing project, etc. when i don't have my computer with me)
-something that would look professional but also be comfortable and practical, not just "look nice"

easy... right? :)
i ended up deciding to do something like this:

given... that page of notes looks nothing like it did then... but it's always nice to start with something like that! for one thing, i changed my seam allowance from 1/2" to 1/4" on a whim. normally, this wouldn't make a difference, but since i didn't apply it consistently, you can imagine that i've had fun trying to finish these last few corners! here are more of my original notes:

regardless of if my notes stay the same from start to finish of a project, i like to start out with notes on what needs to happen first, etc -- otherwise I'm libel to get lost in the middle of a project and not remember what i'm supposed to do next! it also leads to messes with pieces sewn in places they're not supposed to be.

which is why... now... i'm stuck with a three-quarters finished purse, which should be easily finished, but instead has a lining that's easily 1" taller than the outer fabric and isn't cooperating. i thought i'd be smart and use it as a make-shift binding in order to take care of the extra fabric from the lining and not add to the discrepancy by having to hem the outer fabric as well. only problem... with the necessary over-lapping at the seams, i now i have lining that is not only too tall, but not long enough. enter a make-shift pleat in the front of the purse, since one on each side allows for the lining to become too long, with no forgivable solution.

*sigh* now to bed, where i will hopefully dream up the perfect solution and remember it come morning, when i can finish the purse in time for it to serve as a carry-on during my trip to kansas beginning tomorrow night. i'll keep you posted.

blog post sticky notes...

2008-11-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

if you're anything like me, you're probably scratching your head at this point. or maybe that's just me... a bit overwhelmed by work and in desperate need of an afternoon break (hence... this blogpost! :))

read it slowly with me... blog post (pause) sticky notes. as in... sticky notes that look like blog posts. check these out:

according to the website, you can use these to jot down "thoughts and opinions, or track daily events. These sticky notes provide room to "post" comments and links (just underline in blue) and "upload" photos (requires tape)." sounds fun, no? i may just have to give these a try... :)

sunday stash: where is this from again?

2008-11-02T23:03:00.000-08:00

a sunday stash post on a sunday... aren't you proud of me? granted, it's after 11pm on a sunday night, but it still counts, right? :)

once again, the weekend ran away from me like a man on fire, but i was able to get a good amount of crafting done. i've been craving a new black purse for some time now... a nice one that could hold a lot but still look professional. you might remember my pining over a gap bag a while back and this weekend i finally decided to try my hand at recreating + improving upon this bag... albiet without handles (you would think that was a slight problem, wouldn't you? after spending several hours measuring, cutting, and fusing interfacing... i decided it was too. more on that later!)

anyways... i've made quite a bit of progress on the bag, unfortunately leaving a few of my other Christmas projects by the wayside. let's just say it's going to take more than a small miracle to get everything done in time... *sigh* we'll see what happens!

but on to sunday stash... and the fact that i have no idea where this fabric came from, who designed it, or where i can find it ever again. (hint, if anyone knows... PLEASE let me know in the comments! :))

have a great beginning to your week, everyone! i'm off to bed for now... more on the black purse later... complete with pictures and my first crack at a tutorial. :)

what day of the week is it again?

2008-10-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

sorry about that! i'm going to combine sunday stash with wednesday wish-list as well as what's been going on with me lately! yeah... what day of the week is it?

my "real" work has been crazy to say the least these past few days... few weeks... months, perhaps? :) I haven't wanted to turn my computer on for anything other than catching up on tv shows, even though i have been working on projects!

but I do have updates... and wish lists... :) so here we go!

sunday stash for this week is combined with my entry for the spare change swap. i'm so excited to get this fabric back in the mail and see all the wonderful fabrics i have to choose from to make something! i think i'm going with the "stacked coins" quilt that i talked about last time -- it's stayed on the front of my mind since then.

here's the fabric i'm sending in:

i know the quality of the picture doesn't even come close to doing justice to the fabric. it's a light mint green with brown spots all over it. my theory is that i bought it when i was hungry... since it reminds me of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream :)

as far as my wish-list for this week goes, we're getting close to halloween so these are all pumpkin, candy-corn, and costume-themed :)

crazymomquilts has always been one of my favorite blogs, and her candy-corn quilt is just one of the many quilts that highlight her amazing talents as an artist.

this pumpkin is by far my favorite of any themed-pumpkins or pumpkin carving patterns that i've seen. how original! if only we had the time... :)

lastly... my gradma is crazy-talented when it comes to Christmas gingerbread houses. but how about this Halloween gingerbread house? amazing!

on that note... have a safe & happy halloween! :)

"Spare Change" swap

2008-10-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in the Spare Change swap as you may have seen by the button in my side column...

and I'm sad that I didn't post about it sooner that you (whoever my readers may be) could participate! I think it's going to be a lot of fun though... and not a lot of work. We'll have to see what I make out of the "spare change" I end up getting and more importantly... how long it will take me to make something out of it (cough!) :)

I am excited about it -- there's so many different ways you can do take "spare change" -- triangles, squares, strips, and more! I'm entirely in love with this quilt, so much so that I may have to make it for this "spare change" quilt even though it means more cutting of fabric once I get my 5x5 squares... and it also means rummaging so I have enough scraps to make the entire quilt instead of a corner :) Cutting fabric is the bane of sewing for me... it has kept me from working on (and completing) many a project.

Any other ideas for me on what to make out of the 5x5 squares I'll be getting in the mail in a few weeks?

Freeze Yer Buns 2008

2008-10-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ryan & I decided to join in the "freeze yer buns" challenge that Crunchy Chicken runs every year. We're committing to 62 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night. We should be fine... might even lower those standards a bit! :) We have a bit of an advantage for a few reasons:

1) we're on the 2nd floor, and the college-age kids who live below us like to crank up their heat (if this year is anything like last year)

2) my husband is a natural heater... not even kidding... so i can curl up against him and be perfectly warm :)

3) all the windows in our apartment face south, so we get the sun (when it's not raining) from about 11am-sunset. if we open up the blinds, etc. during the day we can often catch that sunlight and warm the house. also... we're often not home during the day for long periods of time, which means the heat can be lower and we don't have to worry about it. you'll just find me huddled in front of our wall-heater when we get home and the house is freezing ;)

4) we've got several warm blankets around the house which we can use if it gets too chilly at night, and a down comforter to sleep under... as well as jersey-knit sheets (you've got to check those things out... it's like sleeping in a big, thick, broken-in t-shirt!)

we'll see how we do! wish us luck, and if you come to visit... bring layers :)

Wednesday Wish List

2008-10-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Yes... I'm officially starting a "Wednesday Wish List" that will be (hopefully!) regular :) Feel free to join me if you want to... and if you do, be sure to leave me a comment to let me know!

Here's my project "wish list" for this week:

This egg carton flower pendant light from Addicted to Decorating. Yes, it sounds (and looks) a little odd... but it would be great mood lighting... or a nightlight in a child's room, don't you think?
Isn't this wallet from JC Handmade amazing? Yes... it's designed to be a children's crayon & coloring wallet... but I'm in the market for a new wallet and this one might just suit me. Adjust a few of the pockets and add one outer pocket... and I might be set! :)
My husband might be wishing for this one more than I am... a designated place for all my craft supplies. Living in a small house makes it difficult to be able to spread out without getting in each other's way... but this craft closet that lovelydesign recently installed might just be the perfect thing... if we can figure out where to put the stuff that's currently in the closet! :)
These dream bubbles stitcheries from Wee Wonderfuls are the cutest thing I've seen in a while... I'd love to make a set of them small enough to fit in 4x4" frames and hang around the house at Christmas time. Aren't they amazing? :)

I think that's it for this week's wish list. Believe me... I've got more, but I've got to save some, right? :)

Have a great rest of your week!

sunday stash: made in japan

2008-10-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

i figured since i signed up for "sunday stash" a few weeks ago it was about time i actually participated :) this is by far one of my favorite pieces of fabric. unfortunately... i have no ideas what to do with it -- any ideas? i was thinking a purse, but i don't know what part of the fabric i would use. or... as the centerpiece of a quilt. i welcome your suggestions!! :)

see more on flickr

right now...

2008-10-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

right now, i am:

feeling... tired of the mundane and hoping something new will come along my path soon

enjoying... the quietness of the office and how much i can get accomplished when everyone's gone to conferences!

wondering... what God has in store for us in the next few months -- things seem so "up in the air" right now even though we have no solid plans at all

wanting... more free time to focus on crafting and writing... to get all of the ideas in my head out on paper

loving... my family and friends who are here for the long stretch -- no matter how long that may be!

searching... for ways to save money and save for the future

hoping... for peace, assurance, and comfort to come in unexpected ways

forgetting... what has happened in the past and moving on to what lies ahead. i resolve to press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God has called and is calling me. (phil 3.13-14)

**Inspired (as many things are) by SouleMama**

my wonderful husband

2008-10-16T16:58:00.003-07:00

...brought me beautiful flowers last night. unfortunately, i woke up with a migraine this morning so i stayed home from work... but i got to enjoy their beauty all day long! :)

more craft posts coming soon... i promise! :)

an amazing quilt

2008-10-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

this quilt is absolutely phenomenal -- colors, pattern, size, everything about it is amazing :) i'm blogging about it on here even though it means that i lesson my chances of winning since i'm sure all of you will want it as well -- just because you have to see this thing! :) click here or on the pic to the right to see more.

a wish list of projects

2008-10-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

sorry for the break between posts! i didn't intend that to happen, but following a camping trip (which was amazing!) and an extra-hectic week at work following that trip, blogging wasn't exactly the first thing on my mind :) crafting, however, was a bigger part of my week!

my mind has mainly been on Christmas presents recently, and yes... i know it's a bit early, but these Christmas presents have been in the works for some time now... one of them is pushing 2 years in the making (here's hoping they'll like it!!). but since i can't post pictures of those for obvious reasons, i thought i'd post a few of the projects on my "wish list." because let's admit it -- i have LOTS of projects on my wish list :)

purses are always on the top of my list. smaller bags for formal occasions and larger bags for my every-day toting. this means the bags have to be big enough to hold a book, my most recent sewing project, and my every-present idea notebook, as well as my wallet, cell phone, ipod, etc. etc. quite a challenge sometimes! and for some reason i've been very interested in tweed & wool lately... which has led me to wanting a bag somewhat like this:

from aeropostale...

on which i'm loving these embellishments:

or one from gap (which i can't find a picture of!) that is a dark grey tweed with leather straps and two pockets on the inside -- perfect for carrying my computer!

i'm thinking i should be able to make those up pretty easily... we'll see :)

i'm loving this wallet as well...

and these bath bombs from instructables are surely necessities, right? :)

this is an adorable tank top and could be remade and adjusted in so many ways -- my mind is buzzing :)

one of these days when we own our own house, these are definitely in order for a back-yard (or side-yard) garden. just look at these pictures!

this is another bag that piques my interest... we'll see if it ever happens. i'm not quite sure what i would use it for and have a feeling it would end up being one of those projects that has no end result. i think my husband would agree that i already have too many of those hanging around :)

as always, i have quilt wish lists and many other projects i'd like to work on... but the time somehow escapes me. maybe one of these days when all the Christmas presents are done (hopefully... before Christmas ;-)) i'll have a chance to check off a few of these items :)

any other projects that i should have on my wish list?

Self-Portrait Challenge: Mirrors

2008-09-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

I may be a bit late to the game on this one... but I'm joining in on the "self-portrait challenge" over at SPC. I've been looking for different ways to use Ryan's camera and ways to extend my "normal" picture taking... and thought this might be both a fun and productive way to do it. :) We'll see!

Anyway... this week's challenge is mirrors. Inspiration found here.

Enjoy! :)

Need a New Purse?

2008-09-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

ok... so I don't really need a new purse, but you can never have too many purses, right? Especially if they're for free! sassyfrazz tipped me off to this contest that HandbagPlanet is having to celebrate the launch of their new website. They're giving away 24 purses... one each hour on Oct. 15th. While I typically prefer much more simple bags than these... I found a few that I really liked!

So all you have to do is go to Handbag Planet and enter your email address and first name... choose which bag you want if you win... and you're in the running! Go for it. You've got 24 chances after all :)

my love affair with books

2008-09-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

My love for books began at an early age -- my mom always says that I simply wanted to keep up with my older sister so badly that I forced myself to learn to read with an "I can do it myself!" attitude. If you ask my husband, I still have that attitude about many things. *ah-hem* :)

Regardless, books have always been my downfall. They're one of the few things that can keep me focused for hours on end and during grade-school summers I could easily go through a book in an afternoon. If there's a sale -- I'm there. If there's a used book store -- I'm there. If there's any chance of a coupon or a discount or anything that guarantees me getting a book for less money that I usually could, I'm there. However... I'm often there regardless of coupons or sales as well! *grin*

So after I got done with helping out my company's booth at the local book fair this past weekend, I had to check out some of the other booths. Used book stores, friends of the library sales, book giveaways. I was in heaven!

I stopped at one book booth that has quickly become my favorite, even though I have yet to visit the actual store. None of their books sell for over $4, including hardly-touched hardback books, and I was able to get 6 books for $21 on Saturday. Their store in a nearby town has many other books on a variety of subjects, and I know it will be a frequent stop of mine!

Here is a sampling of the wonderful abundance I was able to come away with on Saturday.

And the book on top was surely a find. At $1.99, this book has recipes, familiar carols, family activities, easy crafts, and traditional Christmas stories, all in one! And these phenomenal illustrations... wow.

this is me!

2008-09-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

so, following in Randi's footsteps, I've agreed to post a few pictures of me up here... although with few readers, I guess it doesn't hold as much significance for me :) regardless... here are a few of my favorite pics of me (and my hubby!) from the past few years.

captions of the pictures from top left, clockwise...

-my amazing husband Ryan & I at our first anniversary

-enjoying our last fall break from college in DC with a friend

-at our wedding, hosted in the gorgeous back yard of family friends

-enjoying some time at my favorite place... the beach! flying a kite on a windy day

-during our honeymoon in Hawaii -- enjoying the view from a restaurant in Kona

-one of our engagement photos taken by the amazing Kara... a good friend from college

if you want to see the pictures closer up, check out my flickr site

enjoy! :)

Cushions, Quilts, & Books, oh my!

2008-09-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to limit my crafting to things we can use around the house... mainly so I can justify spending the money on supplies :) In all honesty... the most expensive thing I purchase on a somewhat regular basis isn't fabric -- it's books. I've been trying to find as many as possible at the library, but our library system doesn't seem to have many crafting books... and those that they do have often have 20-30 holds on them already, so it takes several months to get the book in hand... and patience isn't one of my strong points!! :)

So... I've purchased a few books on my own and gotten a few others as gifs. I have a whole "wish list" on Amazon of books that I hope to get in the future as well... we'll see! :) Here's the start of my collection:

Any suggestions of other craft books I "need" to get?

In addition to getting inspiration from books, I love finding tutorials on craft blogs. After going to find cushions for our patio furniture and realizing that since it's the end of summer... there aren't any left in stores... I decided to make my own :) Found this tutorial on Sew Mama Sew and learned a lot of new sewing skills in the process of making these cushions! I put a zipper in for the first time, learned how to make my own piping, and sewed rounded corners. If you look closely (or... not so closely) at the black cushion, you can see that it's a bit more round than square. Better luck next time I suppose :) But they ARE very comfortable and have already gotten a lot of use!

And for Adrienne... a few pictures of my quilt :)

you can find more pictures of the quilt on flickr.

until next time... :)

to new beginnings... and old comforts

2008-09-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

I think I've always been interested in crafting... but never really knew what direction to take it in or where to learn new things. Inspired by my aunt, I decided in late high school that I would make a quilt. Starting with innumerable blocks measured & cut with a paper pattern and a normal pair of fiskars scissors, I (slowly) created a quilt on my parent's living room floor. With stacks of blocks set aside in stacks whenever they got tired of fabric being strewn about the house, it was a very slow process. About two years later I finished the quilt while home on a Christmas break from college. I finished the back off with an old "flower power" sheet that my mom no longer wanted, and sewed buttons on each navy blue corduroy square to secure it to the batting. It was a HUGE accomplishment for me, and I dragged it across the country back to school, sleeping under it most nights in the dorm. Now, it's losing buttons periodically, but it's still on the back of the couch in our small apartment, ready for easy cuddling on cold nights.

Since then, I've experimented with bags (some of which have been dismal failures!), embroidery, counted cross-stitch and needlepoint which I learned at my grandma's side long ago, Photoshop and Illustrator (i.e. the banner at the top of my site), miniature elf shoes based on this tutorial, and many other handcrafted items. I am now fully sold on the idea of crafting rather than buying... even when I'm yelling at my hand-me-down-still-belongs-to-my-mom sewing machine or stuck on a particularly hard part of putting together a pattern.

I have works-in-progress strewn about the house, which has been driving my dear husband crazy for the last year (although he'd never admit it) and am constantly starting on a new project, regardless of if I've finished my previous ones or not. After reading craft blogs for the past year, I'm starting to think that attribute comes with the territory!

So like my last post said... here I go. I'm committing myself to this blog -- to document what I'm doing, to learn from others, to showcase my creations, and to pursue new avenues. Come along with me and we'll see where these roads take me!

Happy Fall!

deep breath

2008-09-16T15:19:00.001-07:00

well... here I go! I'm officially entering the world of craft blogs, after following many craft blogs over the past year and getting inspiration from many others. It's time for me to start showing what I'm doing and make more friends in this online crafting community. I don't know what all it's going to turn in to, but I'm ready to find out! We'll see what happens. Who's ready to take a ride with me?

Candid & Crafty

"Happy Haul-idays" from Chronicle Books

twofer

counting my blessings

#27: New York Times Bestsellers

101 Things to do in 1001 Days

there's a first time for everything...

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Photography Books Now competition

An Open Letter to the FDA

Bike Rides, Work, & WIPs

Weekend WIPs

Quick & Easy Patchwork Coasters Tutorial

two realizations

Weekend WIPs

my drug of choice = crafting

Wednesday Wish List

#CraftSocial

Organizational Skills Trials

New Books in Store for 2010... and a few resolutions.

craft fairs, Christmas, quilts, and more.

to be continued...

away we go...

busy times! also... February craft challenge (finally!)

Wow!

Happy Etsy Day!

under construction...

In Honor of the First Online Quilt Festival...

Sunday Stash: WhizBang Fabrics

Wednesday Wish List (on Thursday)

Wednesday Wish List: Places to Go

February Craft Challenge, part 1

Coming Soon...

a completely unrelated wish list item...

Wednesday Wish List: projects

january craft challenge

A Little More About Me

Wednesday Wish List: Knitting

goals for 2009

i'm back!

Merry Christmas!

Santa's Workshop

and the winner is... me!

it's officially winter...

Glimpses of Christmas

sunday stash: spare change swap

happy winter

happy late thanksgiving and early merry christmas...

some people have talents...

sunday stash... two days late...

my progress so far...

to do vs. do-able

home again home again...

Wednesday Wish List: Thinking Christmas

The Black Purse Project, Part 1

blog post sticky notes...

sunday stash: where is this from again?

what day of the week is it again?

"Spare Change" swap

Freeze Yer Buns 2008

Wednesday Wish List

sunday stash: made in japan

right now...

my wonderful husband

an amazing quilt

a wish list of projects

Self-Portrait Challenge: Mirrors

Need a New Purse?

my love affair with books

this is me!

Cushions, Quilts, & Books, oh my!

to new beginnings... and old comforts

*deep breath*

deep breath