Sunday, March 30, 2014

A March Bride: A Kindle Book Review

A March Bride

By Rachel Hauck
Published by Zondervan

Publisher Book Description:  Susanna has found her true prince, and their happily ever after is just around the corner. But when Nate asks her to give up something precious to her, Susanna can't help but wonder if it's a sign that their love is not meant to be. Susanna Truitt (Once Upon A Prince) is three weeks from royalty. She'll soon marry King Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. But when the government insists she renounce her American citizenship before the wedding, coupled with the lack of involvement by family and friends, Susanna's heart begins to doubt whether this marriage is God's plan for her. Nathaniel would do anything for his bride-to-be. But he knows his position requires that she give up a lot to be with him. Her life will never be her own---right down to her very identity. When she travels home to St. Simon's Island, Georgia, right before the wedding, Nathaniel fears she won't return. Gathering his courage, he devises a plan to win his bride all over again, and together they seek out a kingdom to treasure above all.

My Thoughts:  This book is part of a Year of Weddings series, each month bringing about a new story, some of them seem to intertwine into the same community so far.    Susanna Seems like she is a nice gal, but I felt that the author didn't really take a lot of time to flesh out the character.  I did not know at the time I started this book that it was a continuation from this particular author's own series of books which allegedly has a fleshed out set of characters.  I think the author depended too much on the reader having read this couples' first round in their love story, which I haven't, for this Novella to stand on its own.  I had nothing invested in any of the characters so in the end it just turned into an assignment that I loathed to finish, but I hate leaving books unfinished.  I felt real disappointed as this was clearly a missed opportunity for this author to get me to read their books.  It also was a shame that I didn't really enjoy this read as most of the others in this series have been a delight to read and I have even re-read the one from December as it was particularly humorous.  This book in the end was rather Blah so I cannot recommend this novella, but I urge you to check out some of the others as they truly are gems in this series.  

After I wrote my thoughts  I went to see what others had to say; I was rather surprised at the raving reviews but then I noticed that they all seemed to have read the aforementioned Author's own series which tells the love story of this couple.  I wanted to clarify before I get comments, that this review is only for THIS particular novella as it is, with no insight to the Author's previous writings, which I do not believe I should HAVE to read before giving my view of THIS book.  I hope you understand my position here.

*\0/* Cheers
Shanna

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Stash Report 2014-Week 13



I am so excited that the 3rd cubbie was assembled and added to the top.  All my fabrics are back in the cubbie system, ready to get to work!

Stash Report

Used This Week:  -0 yards
Used Year To Date:   -16.25 yards
Given Year To Date:   -6 yards
Added this week:  +0 yards
Added Year To Date:  +18.75 yards

Net Used/Given For 2014:  -4 yards


*\o/* Cheers
Shanna

**These totals include all completed projects; BOM's themselves are not counted in this total until the project is completed. Any fabric brought into the home, used in a completed project or given away is counted, even if it is not purchased.

Friday, March 28, 2014

A Day at the Zoo..

I thought I would share with you the pictures from our visit to the Zoo!





It was a blast!

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna


Thursday, March 27, 2014

Really Random Thursday

Yesterday my husband took the day off for my 34th birthday and we took a trip down to the Zoo!  I was super-shocked to find out on our first visit late last summer just how cheap it is to buy a season pass!  Someone shared with me a video on facebook before we set off for our adventures...Which I of course have to share with you!



Are you thinking about going to the Zoo too?
*\o/* Cheers
Shanna

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Woman in Process Wednesday!

I am a woman in process...

After a chat with a friend for parenting advice, I realized that I have been getting all my priorities mixed up.  I have been living without a schedule the past couple of years though I have made attempts to get back on a routine of some sort, it always seems to fade after a week or so.  I have this ginormous white board in my hallway on which I have written down everything I want to see completed in the next week.  I have made 3 lists currently, in the next column I have put the things I wish to see accomplished whenever, the last column is for things to do with crafting, hops etc.  My hope to get back to focusing on the important things.

What is ...date night?

My husband and I have been married for almost 10 years, but I have never thought we needed a date night, well, until now.  I can count on one hand how many times our daughter has been away from both of us at one time.  Most of those times have been our leaving our daughter with my wonderful Mother-in Law when she has come to visit!  BUT, this is going to change pretty soon as we have procured ourselves a willing & trained babysitter!  I cannot wait to go out to eat at a place that does not have a playground attached to it!!!  *\0/*  *\0/*  *\0/*


I haven't been sewing much lately, however I have been dragging my knitting along with me everywhere I go!  My goal is to make a couple dozen scrubby washcloths for my kitchen.  I also need a new set of hot pads so that will go on my to do list as soon as I get all my April Birthday boxes out in the mail!

So today I have had a lot of reflecting to do because today I turn 34 years old!!  I am so excited to be another year older.  My husband has taken the day off to spend with his girls <grins>

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Stash Report 2014- Week 12

And here I am posting a late accounting of my fabric usage!  I haven't done much sewing this past week besides HST's & 4-patch for that swap I told you about.  I was packing up the box to mail off when I realized that I forgot to separate out some blocks for one of the person son the list so I have to square away some more blocks (I also realized that it seems everyone was sending more blocks then was listed so I wanted to make sure I included extra blocks too!)

My fabric picture above may not seem very much different than the one I posted last week, but it is!  I have finally after several month, washed, ironed, trimmed and folded all of my fabric--I also have a large box that is suppose to get shipped off as soon as I find a bigger box!  I have a friend who said they would take all my flannel off my hands for their various projects as well as anything else I needed to purge so I am taking them up on that offer!


This lovely pile of Salvages is going to one of my birthday Buddies!  In the end, I trimmed off 3 gallon freezer bags full of salvages!  I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that it is completed.

Stash Report

Used This Week:  -0 yards
Used Year To Date:   -16.25 yards
Given Year To Date:   -6 yards
Added this week:  +0 yards
Added Year To Date:  +18.75 yards

Net Used/Given For 2014:  -4 yards




*\o/* Cheers
Shanna
**These totals include all completed projects; BOM's themselves are not counted in this total until the project is completed. Any fabric brought into the home, used in a completed project or given away is counted, even if it is not purchased.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Stash Report 2014-Week 11


Yesterday I pulled all my fabric out of their bin to allow me to take care of a few things on my to-do list, like:


  1. Merge in the rest of the fabrics that have been washed, trimmed and readied for the stashing system
  2. Allow me to take this opportunity to select, cut and organize kits for projects I have identified that I would like to do. This way they are all ready to start once I clear up my current list of WIP's or when I just really need a change of focus.
  3. Once all the fabric has been looked over I can make a list of the fabric I feel I need to buy for project kits, current projects or for backings. I am mostly looking for fabrics I am low on like neutrals and blenders.


You will see above that this week I picked-up 4 yards of fabric for the Kate Spain Charm Swap, these are the lovely fabrics I picked up from fabric.com.  It was hard to find Kate Spain Fabrics that had not already been either used in the first round of the charm swap or already chosen in this round of the Swap.

*Daydreams Arcadia Jade
*Daydreams Reverie Persimmon
*Daydreams Memory Stream
*Daydreams Vestige Yellow

**These totals include all completed projects; BOM's themselves are not counted in this total until the project is completed. Any fabric brought into the home, used in a completed project or given away is counted, even if it is not purchased.


*\o/* Cheers
Shanna

Please check out the delightful projects shared during the past two weeks of  the Think Ruffles Blog Hop with Sew We Quilt!  


Wednesday, March 12, 2014

February FNSI--A Late Report

Yeah it seems perhaps one delay after another with me typing up a report of what I worked on for February's Friday Night Sew-in, but I am trying to be more consistent in actually showing the process of crafting and not just a catalog of all that I have accomplished.  I know for myself that is one of my favorite things about reading blogs, seeing the process.  Now don't get me wrong I enjoy a good round of pictures on a finished project as well!  Some of the items I worked on that night last month you have now seen as finished projects, so please be patient with me!

1. A new Stroller carrier for my daughter's baby stroller (the one that came with broke apart).



2.  An Additional block for the traveling quilt (Rainbow theme)

3.  The body of the dress for the Ruffles Blog Hop (Ruffles came later):


*\o/* Cheers
Shanna


Think Ruffles Hop-Sixth Day


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

The Traveling Quilt & More

I have been a little bit sporadic the past few weeks on my postings, my responses and there also seemed to be an issue with some of my posts publishing  Our household had it's very first occurrence where I did not get sick but the rest of my family caught the flu; baby girl caught that & the croup.  I was happy to get my post up this past week for my day on the blog hop *\0/*, but I still have yet to post what I was working on for FNSI 2 weeks ago. Please check back to see that post, later today I will be able to add pictures.  It is just a little bit early to be sneaking into baby girl's room to snap a picture of one of the items.

The Traveling Quilt
I have joined up with a small group of people for us to have our quilt blocks go on a journey.  I have a slight obsession with rainbowy things so that is where my inspiration pieces start.



For my quilt I have asked the people in our group to just make rainbow blocks of different sizes.  I want to to then join them together myself with some extra fabric I have on order because I want to send this quilt to someone to quilt for me!  It will be the first quilt I have ever done so, but this quilt will be for my own bed so it will be worth the extra money.  I just could not ever come up with a color plan for my own bed that would work until I made my rainbow trip around the world quilt for the Kona Hop that is a wall hanging in my bedroom [post HERE].

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna


Think Ruffles Hop-Fifth Day

Monday, March 10, 2014

Stash Report 2014-Week 10

Please look for an update photo of my stash next week

Used This Week:  -1.5 yards
Used Year To Date:   -15.25 yards
Given Year To Date:   -3 yards
Added this week:  +0 yards
Added Year To Date:  +14.75 yards

Net Used/Given For 2014:  -6 yards


**These totals include all completed projects; BOM's themselves are not counted in this total until the project is completed. Any fabric brought into the home, used in a completed project or given away is counted, even if it is not purchased.

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna


Think Ruffles Hop-Fourth Day


Sunday, March 9, 2014

The Crimson Path of Honor: A Book Review

By M.B. Tosi
Published by WestBow Press

Book Description:

In The Crimson Path of Honor, bestselling author of The Indian Path Series, M.B. Tosi, has penned a historical novel filled to the brim with high emotion, irresistible wit and authentic realism. In this, the third book in her beloved series, the Civil War is over, and a violent period known as the Indian Wars is erupting. Ignoring the danger, a feisty young woman from Boston rebels against her tyrannical father’s plans to marry her off to a family friend and seizes an opportunity to go west to teach. On the way to the Oregon Territory, her stagecoach is attacked, and she is captured by a marauding band of Lakota (Sioux) Indians who call the Rocky Mountains home. Accepting her perilous situation, the young woman courageously confronts the daily hardships inherent in early Native American life, but will her growing feelings for her captors begin to outweigh her allegiance to her past life?
This book has some violence relating to the Indian Wars in the 1860s.

My Thoughts:

I love reading about Native American history, in part because of my own Native heritage.  I think that is why perhaps this book made me a bit irritated and slightly crazy. First of all, I understand wanting to show a difference in cultures, but I feel that the author made the main girl in the book like a bratty modern American Teenager, not a young lady from a wealthy family in Boston in 1870's.  The voice is all wrong if they were going for a historical figure.   Secondly, I felt that the addition of spiritual matters was tacked on somehow to try to make me suddenly like this main character.  I wanted to try to like the main character when this line of plot was added about 67% the way through the book, but ti just seemed so out of character for her that it was unbelievable.  In conclusion, I felt the use of modern phrases and the historical segments that read like it was copied from a 1960's Edition of the encyclopedia Britannica made it a book I cannot recommend.

If you are looking for a more authentic historical fiction book series to read that involves the different Native Cultures, I would suggest you look at Stephanie Grace Whitson.

Thanks for stopping by to read my thoughts.

*\0/* Cheers
Shanna
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

I'm Thinking About Ruffles!

Welcome to day One of the Think Ruffles Blog Hop!  There are many very talented crafters who will be taking part for this hop, I am anticipating many clever items will be shared.  The line up for today includes the following blogs:


Sparrow In Flight (you are here)

I was so excited when this particular blog was announced as I believe this themes was something I could definitely tackle.  My daughter loves everything to be festooned with ruffles, shiny bits, pink and obtain perfect twirl-ability.  I decided I would go with a dress for this venture.





This fabric was purchased last year for Miss Z's First birthday dress after I successfully completely her first Christmas dress (HERE).  She has certainly grown since then, so I set out to make her an Easter Dress, salvaging some of the pieces I had begun!  I adapted this dress from The Cottage Mama's Party Dress pattern (free tutorial found HERE).  The changes that I made from the original was to lengthen the skirt, add the ruffles, and use snaps instead of the loop button closures.  I also added a little bit more fabric in the skirt width to allow for more twirling, which is a favorite activity in our household.

Thank you so much for stopping by on my stop on this Blog hop, please take the time to check out the other projects being featured today at the links at the top of this post!

*\0/* Cheers
Shanna