Chris Vs Martha: Heart Treat Boxes

These are so easy to make. They can be made in about 5 minutes. Martha has the instructions on her website. I skipped a whole step by using double-sided printed cardstock. I also didn't use a craft knife because I like keeping my fingers.

The box holds a small amount of candy which is just fine if you are making treats for kids. You don't want them all hopped up on sugar.

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Love Birds

 

Lion Brand Yarns newsletter brought this pattern for Love Birds to my inbox last week. I knew I had to make them. They are really easy to make. Great for beginners and anyone who wants practice 'working in the round'. I made them with a smaller hook than recommended. The only thing is they don't sit up very well! Hence the basket.

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Winner: Reading Glasses Shopper

We have a winner! Of the Reading Glasses Shopper Giveaway.

 Nancy

&

Benita

Congrats!

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Lessons In French by Laura Kinsale: Review

Callie has no intentions of marrying. After three disappointing engagements that left her a spinster at 27, she's officially 'on the shelf'. This suits her just fine. No more parties. No more awkward conversations. She can spend more time with her prize winning animals.

Then Trevelyn, the duc de Monceaux, returns after nine years in France. Callie remembers the day he left. Her father found them in a compromising position in the carriage house. Now she wonders if he still feels the way he did all those years ago.

Unbeknownst to Callie, Trevelyn hasn't lead a exemplary life in France. In fact, the lower profile he keeps the better. He wouldn't even be back if it wasn't for his poor sick mother. But now that he's returned, those old feelings for Callie are coming back just as strong as before. How can he give her what she deserves when he's on the run?

Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale is a Regency romance with more cowbell. Literally. There's a big beast of a bull involved in the plot and it's not Trevelyn. Hubert the bull and his adventures not only add humour to the story but give the lovers a reason to run around in disguise. Because running around in disguise is Zexy.

I've never read any books by Laura Kinsale but from the comments of other reviewers this is lighter than her other books. It is a really sweet story of old lovers rediscovering each other. The chemistry between Callie and Trevelyn was believable and I enjoyed their banter. I loved Callie. She has this complex after being dumped three times but it doesn't make her change herself. She's still true to who she is.

Kinsale doesn't shy away from reality though when it comes to the life of a spinster. Callie's life changed for the worse after the death of her father. She was no longer the mistress of her own home. Instead, her cousin's wife takes her place and makes her feel like a burden. Yet Callie can do nothing except bite her tongue. The new mistress of Shelford Hall could toss her out anytime she pleases and Callie would have no legal rights to stay. Even her farm animals she loved and cared for weren't her own.

Even though I enjoyed so many aspects of the novel, I found parts near the end of the story dragged and wanted Kinsale to wrap it up. 400+ pages was a bit too much. Still, eventually everything came together and a happy ending was achieved.

Recommended for romance readers.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for the review copy.

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Blog Luv Fest: Week 1

Just a week until Valentines' Day. Have your kiddies picked out their cards for their classmates yet? If not maybe they'd like these free vintage Valentine cards.

This past week I showed you how to make crayon hearts, gave you a Valentine reading list, and discussed Austenland with Kelly.

Lets' see what some other people came up with this week.

Emma posted a recipe for these yummy looking cupcakes. Just looking at them makes me hungry. She also posted a review for Sea Change.

Julie intends to read Pride and Prejudice. Good luck to her. I hope she falls in love with Mr Darcy.

April discusses her admiration for the great 80's classic Say Anything. I loved that movie.

I hope you've nominated your favorite Literary Couple over at Michelle's blog. She's been discussing her favorite couples all week and let me tell you she has great taste.

Can't wait to see what you come up with next week. I got a few things planned as well. Hope you come back to check them out.

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Friday Bookish Buzz: In the Spotlight

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Before we get started, I have a new project I'd like to share. Amy, Aarti and myself have launched the Spotlight Series blog where we highlight small press publishers. Small presses publish great books but often, because of their size have smaller marketing departments, get overlooked. By putting small presses in the spotlight through blog tours, we hope to reach a wider audience. The great thing about the tour is the participants seek out the book to highlight on their blog. There is a book out there to suit every taste and you won't get bored reading about the same book over and over again either. Not to mention, we have a few surprises up our sleeves during the tour! So head over to Spotlight Series and sign up for the first tour: Unbridled Books.

*If someone can explain the MacMillan/Amazon debacle to me, I'll give you a cookie. Here's the latest although I'm sure things will have changed in about an hour.

*And Hachette jumps into the fray. 

*Jennifer Wells take on Marry Him: "I'd call it re-educating glassy-eyed 20-year-olds, nurtured at the teat of reality television and celebrity magazines, to seek substance over superficiality."

*E-book reader owners get satisfaction.

*Literary Step-Moms get a bad rap. 

*Help Canadian blind to read.


*The Book Ban That Wasn't. I'm with the mom on this one: I wouldn't want to read that part aloud in class either. Awkward teenaged moment anyone?

*Etsy Love: These Tres Chic bookmarks from KMadson seem appropriate for Valentine's Day. Oh la la!

Since we're talking about Unbridled Books, they made this hilarious "PSA" on the dangers of reading.


Unbridled Books P.S.A. from Unbridled Books on Vimeo.

Have a great weekend!

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Austenland by Shannon Hale: Review

Continuing with my Valentine theme for the week, Kelly and I buddy-read Austenland by Shannon Hale.

In Austenland, Jane Hayes is bequeathed a special gift from her great-aunt, a trip to an exclusive Austen themed resort. Jane finally gets to live out her Austen inspired fantasies but is she up for it?

To read the first part of our discussion, visit The Written World:
________________________________________________________________

Kelly: Yeah, I think Hale was trying to make the ending romantic, but I thought it was a bit overdone... It was also supposed to prove a point to Jane, but that didn't interest me. What do you think of characters in novels, like Jane, that are always talking about 'giving up on love'? Also, what did you think of how Jane numbered every guy she had dated as a boyfriend? Did you like that Shannon Hale included info about each of them at the beginning of chapters?

Chris: I did like the info on the guys. It showed how all those disappointments at the beginning of her life affected her relationships later on. I felt for her when the guys were such jerks to her but later she had unrealistic expectations. No one can be a Mr Darcy, there are more Trailer Park Boys than Mr Darcys around here! It kind of reminds me of those girls crying over Rob Pattinson. He's just a a guy who plays a romantic character. He's just a person. Jane herself is rather intense. Not every guy is "the one" maybe just "the one for now." As for characters who 'give up on love,' you know as soon as they say that a guy conveniently falls in their lap.

Are you much of a romance reader? Would you recommend it to someone who isn't?

Kelly: Nope. I am not much of a romance reader at all. If there is romance in a book I am reading, that's fine, but it is rare to find me in the romance or chick-lit department of my bookstore. The only reason I gave this book a chance was because of the author. I liked it, though. It wasn't the greatest thing ever and I probably will never read it again, but it was a nice, quick, fun read for the time that I read it during. I was also worried because I am getting so sick of Jane Austen fan fiction. That is one of the reasons that I didn't rush out and read this book when it was released, but it was done well. I am still sick of Jane Austen fan fiction. I wish they would move on to something else, or heaven forbid, write an original novel for a while! Not to say that there are not good ones...

That makes me wonder, what do you think of the Jane Austen fandom? I know it has existed for years, but it is really popular the last couple years. If you could put yourself into Jane Austen's shoes, what do you think she would think about all of this?

Chris: What Would Jane Think? ha! I don't know. I think she'd have a snarky reply to all the fan fiction writers. She always had a cynical look at society and this is a rather peculiar facet of ours. I don't read a lot of Jane Austen fan fiction. I ordered this one from Bookcloseouts with several other books just because I had seen good reviews on blogs. It is becoming overdone but I guess there is a market for it. I think Austen fascinates people, not just because of her writing talent, but because of her life. She never married though she might have had a few romances and died young. Her sister burned a number of her letters after her death so people like to imagine all kinds of things about her. Too bad she never got to cash in on it.

Kelly: I know. She is so famous now, but that wasn't the case when she was alive. I do admit I am curious about those mystery letters, too! It's a shame we will never know what they contained because if they are worth burning, they are probably pretty interesting... This was a fun review!
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Thanks Kelly for reading Austenland with me!

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Valentine Reading List

 

It's Valentine's season and what will you read?

Not any old love story will do. It has to be a Luv Story. It has to be epic for Valentine's Day. Here is my recommended reading list:

• The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye. At first it doesn't seem like a love story but keep reading. Ash, an English boy raised as an Indian, meets Juli, an Indian princess with Russian ancestry, and he risks his life to save her.
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. This is the first and best in the Outlander series. The rest are just gravy. In book one, Claire and Jamie meet and begin their epic romance, despite being from different centuries.
• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Most people have relationship issues to overcome and obstacles to conquer but how about a spouse who spontaneously travels through time? Poor Henry up and disappears without warning and ends up in another time and place. Kind of makes life challenging for Claire as well.
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. You could put any Jane Austen on the list but Pride and Prejudice is probably the best known of her work. If you've seen a romantic comedy, you're familiar with the plotline.
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Victoria Holt and Harlequin Romance have been ripping off this story for years: poor plain girl marries her rich boss.
• Silas Marner by George Eliot. Okay, stay with me here. This isn't a romantic tale but one of parental love. Silas must make a difficult choice in regards to his adopted daughter. Grab the Kleenex.

 Thar's my list of favorite Luv Stories. How about yours? What books would you include on the list?

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Grow Great Grub by Gayla Trail: Review

 

Oh winter! Why are you so long? Doesn't matter if the groundhog has seen his shadow or not today, it will be months before we see anything green here.

After reading Grow Great Grub by Gayla Trail, I'm itching to get my hands back into the dirt. Last year was my first try at vegetable gardening and I was pleased with the results. I can't wait to do it all again. Grow Great Grub isn't just a pretty looking gardening book. It's a practical how-to book for gardening in small spaces. You don't need acres of land to have your own yummy fresh veggies. In fact all you need is a sunny windowsill and you got yourself a salad.

Gayla Trail is an advocate of urban gardening. The first chapter is called "Growing Anywhere and Everywhere." That should tell you something. She believes that if you can stick a plant in it, it's fair game. You just need to know what you can grow successfully where and you're all set. She also believes you can do it all without the use of chemicals.

Gayla Trail gives tips on how to improve your soil, grow in containers or raised beds, choose and start your seeds and take care of them from seedling to harvest. To make sure your veggies get to the table, Trail tells readers how to defend plants against disease and pests with companion planting and encouraging predatory insects. And for you DIYers, there are projects like building your own compost bin and "Upside-Down Tomatoes" rated with a difficulty scale.

And then there are the plants. Who ever said vegetables were boring? Not these babies. Cranberry beans, Mexican Sour gherkins, Mascara leaf lettuce, Violetta Italia cauliflower to name a few. They all sound so exotic and interesting. I'm already looking for seeds. (There are sources for US and Canada in the back.)

Once you've grown all this great grub, what do you do with it? There are recipes for preserving and canning your veggies so you can enjoy them all year long.

So except for making me long for spring and causing a bad case of cabin fever, I loved reading Grow Great Grub.

Highly recommended for anyone considering growing their own organic vegetables (really, it's not that hard, if I can do it you can).

You can find Gayla Trail on her site You Grow Girl.

Thanks to Random House Canada for the review copy.

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Chris Vs Martha: Crayon Hearts

This is more like Chris and the girl vs Martha. This was a fun project we did together. It's easy simple but requires an iron so adult supervision is needed.

Martha has the instructions on her site for crayon hearts but I'll take you through the process.

First, we made the crayon shavings with a pencil sharpener. A bit of a messy job.

 

Then I melted the crayons between 2 sheets of wax paper. Remember to put a towel underneath the wax paper or you will have crayon melted to your ironing board (ask me how I know this) and brown paper between the iron and the top sheet. If I was to do it again, I'd spread out the crayon more- a little goes a long way.

 

Then we made up heart shapes with regular paper for templates and used those to cut out the hearts from the wax paper. Next I used a needle and embroidery floss to string the hearts. To show them in the window, I used a short piece of wire hiding strip- it has an adhesive strip to hold it in place.

And viola! An easy Valentine's Day decoration! 

Part of Blog Luv Fest.

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