Love This Book Series!!!!

It's no secret that 

I'm no stranger to the library...

Yep...

I'm a library card carrying kind of girl:)

I have always loved books.

So I wanted to tell you all about a series that I have read this summer that I

 really really love:)

The first in the series is called

"The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie"

The setting is in the charming country landscape of 1950's England.

The books are written in the voice of 

11 year old Flavia De Luce... 

who lives in an old victorian mansion 

with her father and two older snobby sisters.

Flavia is my new heroine.

 She is a chemist/crime solver...

 who loves to get back at her older sisters for being so snobby. 

I fell in love with her immediately...

she makes Nancy Drew look like a 

goody two shoes...haha!!!

Come to find out...

I'm not the only one who feels this way about Flavia!

 The books have won several awards and there is a Flavia De Luce fan club!!!

Second in the series....

Third in the series...

And the latest in the series.

There will be another coming out early next year called

 "Speaking from Among the Bones"

 and then another 

after that called

"The Dead in their Vaulted Arches"

I can't wait!

I don't normally read murder mysteries

 but these were just too wonderful 

to pass up and besides...

 getting to know Flavia De Luce 

is the icing on the cake :)

I love a good series...

how about you?

What's your favorite reading this summer?

I'd love to know...

I'm always looking for the next good read:)

xx

Lori

Good Enough to Read Twice...

So I'm back from my camping trip and I feel rested and ready to dive into some summer  projects!...but first I thought I would share with you the book that I read while I was away called

"A Vintage Affair"

Can I just tell you how much I loved this book?...I really did!

I don't want to give a full review but I can tell you what it's about in one sentence..the main character quits her fabulous job to open a vintage clothing shop.

If you love vintage like I do...and stories from the past...and stories about friendship...family...and love...this is the book for your summer reading!

Because I love to read so much and there always seems to be so many good books out there...I don't often read the same novel twice, unless I really really love it.

 I would totally read A Vintage Affair again and probably will.

On that note, I thought maybe I would also share a couple more books that are among my favorites to read more than once!

 "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"

It's a classic that was re-released about 15 years ago and I have read it several times since then.....love it!!!!

Another classic that has been re-released and that I have read several times is

"I Capture the Castle"

....obviously I love it too!

Also...something interesting about this book is that it was written by the same author who wrote 101 Dalmations...Dodie Smith.

And last but not least....I know that I already told you about this book when I read it a long time ago....

"The Help"...when I read it right after it came out...but I wanted to remind you to read it this month if you didn't get a chance yet because if you havn't heard...the movie comes out in August.

YAY!...I for one can't wait!....

I will probably go see it the day that it opens...I loved it that much.

By the way...if you also like to listen to books on your ipod or ipad...this would be a great one to download because all of the voices reading it are absolutely fabulous!!...

I've listened to it twice even after reading the book twice.

So there you go girls...some of my favorite books that I think are good enough to read again...and again.

I hope you have a happy weekend my friends...

I'll be back on Monday with some new things to share:)

xx

Lori

What I'm Reading...

It's no secret that I love a good read...and it's also not a secret that I love the Elm Creek Quilt books that are written by Jennifer Chiaverini.
I've read them from the very beginning and have loved every one of them... especially the historical fiction ones like The Lost Quilter...

which is a sequel to this one...The Runaway Quilt...which has been my very, very favorite in the series so far.

It's really hard to pick a favorite but this is one that I loved so much.

And now Jennifer has just released #17 in the series...

The Union Quilters... and I'm so excited that it's also in the same time period as The Runaway Quilt and The Lost Quilter....which is during the Civil War.

I just started it so I can't give you a review just yet...but I can tell you that I am positive that I won't be dissapointed:)

If you havn't read her books yet, I highly recommend them.

You really don't have to read them in the order that Jennifer has written to enjoy them but I suggest that you do read the first 3 in order so that you understand who the characters are and what the series is all about.
The first three are...

1. The Quilters Apprentice

2. Round Robin

3. The Cross-Country Quilters

All 3 books are now available together in one large book called Elm Creek Quilts Sampler.

If you decide to give them a whirl...let me know how you like them.

Well that's it for now girls...I hope you have a quilty kind of day...

xx

Lori

I loved this book...

If you are still in cold and snowy weather like I am...you might be in the mood to curl up under a quilt by the fireplace at night and read a good book.
That's one of the things I love to do!
The only problem is that when I'm reading a good book...I can't put it down and I forget about the rest of the world until it's finished!
That's really not a good thing when you have a million other things in your day that have to get done.
My solution has been listening to books on CD from the library or downloading books onto my computer, ipod or my Kindle....(my kindle has a feature that reads to me!)
This way...I have the best of both worlds...I can do everything that I need to and read/listen at the same time.
I love multi-tasking...don't you?

I highly recommend the book "March" by Geraldine Brooks.


It's somewhat of a sequel or I guess a "companion" book to Little Women...one of my all time favorites..(along with the rest of the world!)

Early in the book Little Women, the March girls receive a letter from their father who is away at war.
This is what they say about the letter in the book....
"little was said of the hardships endured, the dangers faced, or the homesickness conquered; it was a cheerful, hopeful letter full of lively descriptions."
And then Mr. March kind of disappears from the rest of the book most of the time...until he gets sick and Mrs. March goes to him.
We know that he is away serving as a chaplain for the Union during the Civil War.

But in the book March, the focus is on the father....Mr. March.
March begins with that same letter as it is written. ...but in this book, it's about the father and what he is doing while away from the family.
He trys to protect them by saying little about hardship, danger and homesickness.
The book is about what really goes on during his time away and how a man changes through his experiences during war.
The distance between a man at war and the women at home is incredible and something that I'm sure never changes throughout history.

I've always loved reading historical fiction based on the Civil War...this one is really good.
I know you'll like it if you love Little Women like I do.

Now I'm ready for something new to listen/read...any suggestions?
I'd love to hear...

One of the books that I read...

...while I was on holiday was this one. "Cherries in Winter" by Suzan Colon.
It's a book about cooking and families and learning from those family members who came before us.

When Suzan got the idea to write these stories, she was cooking meatloaf with her mother.
She had been laid off and had to economize, and her Mom suggested that she dig out her grandma's recipe file from the basement.
In the file, she found instructions for making good and simple food from many years of challenging times that her family had faced.
She started making the recipes with her Mom, and her mom would tell her the stories behind the recipes.
I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the read for you...but let me just say that I really really liked this book.
If I had to say the moral of the story in one sentence it would be...

"Just because you're broke...it doesn't mean you're poor."

A good lesson to learn:)

Getting the trailer ready...

We will be leaving for Fish Lake, which is here in Utah early in the morning. It's about a 4 hour drive from where we live.
I am checking things off my list as I put them in the trailer. ...and when I say "I" ....I really mean my kids!
I put everything on my kitchen table as remembered to load and they are my carriers!
I thought I would show you a few things I am taking.

These are books that I just picked up at the local Barnes & Noble to take.
As they are both about trailers and camping I thought they were the perfect choice.
It's killing me to wait until I get there to peruse them...but I did open "My Cool Caravan" long enough for a little sneak peek...and to snap the above pictures.


I will be taking this large vintage tablecloth....isn't it sweet? Does anyone remember these?
It's made from terry cloth and I don't think it's ever been used. I found it last week when I found my egg holder while thrifting.

We take these vintage tins every year....loaded with crayons.

I started this tradition several years back....this is what I do.....

I keep a big selection of coloring books in the trailer....and as I have told you before, we go with the same friends (several families) every year....and everyone of all ages colors at least one coloring book page while we are there.

I make sure they sign their page along with the year and I keep them in my trailer.

It's fun for all of us to look back on the pages every year!

My little vintage match holder goes out there.....looks like it needs a fill up!

I found these little cuties last month during another treasure hunt. $1.99 a pair at the thrift store...love it!

I knew they would go perfectly out there in the trailer.

This is a set I usually take. It's not vintage but I still love it! Quirky little S&P shakers are fun to put on the table during our potluck dutch-oven dinners.

I always take my cute little vintage fan along....sometimes it's needed for a bit in the hot afternoon if there is no breeze.

Hey girls...I said I was going camping...I didn't say I was roughing it! (my trailer does have a bathroom, shower, fridge and a cute little double sink!)

I just plug the fan in when we are going somewhere with electrical hook-ups..... but when we aren't....Mr. Honey turns on the generator for me.

Yes....Mr. Honey is a good man to have around...especially when camping.

At night when it gets cold...(as it always does in the mountains)...we have a heater and plenty of quilts to make our bed comfy cozy warm.

Mr. Honey and I have spent lots of enjoyable hours fixing up our trailer. I love it! It's just like playing house!

We keep lots of games in our trailer and play them often...Racko, UNO and Phase 10 are a few favorites. I found another set of Old Phase 10 cards at the same thrift shop last week for 50 cents....not a card missing and even still had the instructions.

But our very favorite card game to play is Hand & Foot. You just need 6 decks of cards to play it....(and some good snacks)!

This year Mr. Honey and I are heading up a tournament (double elimination) for all those 18 and up. I'll tell you how it went when I get back....we are a pretty competitive bunch!

Even though I love all things vintage....I also love new technology!

As a family....we always listen to books on CD on the drive there and back.

This trip we will be listening to these 3. I've heard fabulous things about this series.

Of course....I also have my kindle to take. I have downloaded a few new books for my own reading time....if I get any!...if I do, I'm prepared.

I also made 4 batches of these...."Hello Dolly's" to take.

I made these the first trip we went on and everyone there insists that I keep up that tradition too!

My sisters and I would make these alot while we were still at home and they are still one of my favorites to take camping!

I took pictures when I made them and when I get back I will share the recipe and a tutorial with you....

A Good Read...

I just finished this book ...."The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton.
I loved it so much I just had to share it with you.
I don't want to give too much away...but it starts out when a little girl is found alone on a ship that's bound for Austrailia...the story follows this little girls life and her search for her real family...the research spans 3 generations with a beautiful love story and lots of twists and turns...characters I loved to hate and characters I loved to love.
This book has it all!
If you're looking for a good read this summer...I know you'll love this one.

Two books and two blogs to share...

Okay...more about the strawberries from yesterday's post but first....I want to share with you a "new to me" blog by the very creative and talented Anita.
Her blog is called My Country Cottage Garden and I found it while I was visiting my friend Maryjane at Beehive Cottage.

Anita's blog caught my eye because I noticed on Maryjanes sidebar a picture like the little strawberries that I had made.....I clicked on over to find out that Anita had made some too!
I'm so glad that I found her. Her blog is wonderful and I added it onto my sidebar as fast as I could so that I didn't miss anything that she posted.

I have been following Maryjanes blog for a long time. You may have noticed the link on my sidebar already. She has become my friend through blogging.
We have alot in common and she is so sweet. Her blog is absolutely fabulous and so is she!

Go over to visit both Maryjane and Anita...tell them I sent you and give them a big Howdy from me!

Now for the strawberries and the first book that I want to share with you. It has been on my shelf for quite some time now....I'm going to give you a peek of the back cover first...it's as beautiful as the front cover.

This is the book that has the pattern in it for the strawberries.

The book is called "Sew Pretty Homestyle"......what can I say about it except...I heart it!

It's by a Norwegian designer by the name of Tone Finnanger. The name of her company is Tilda.....cute huh? She designs alot of very beautiful things to make with a comfy cozy feel.
If you want to know more about Tone and her designs...visit her website here.

Her book is gorgeous to look at and has several very tempting projects. I have made these flowers in a variety of sizes...

...and these sleeping masks have Kassidy's vote for our next sew night project because she sleeps with one every night!....

The next book is one that I just picked up last week..."Schnibbles Times Two" by Carrie Nelson.I'm sure that you have all seen it floating around on other quilty blogs...

I really love this flying geese quilt above called "Open Season"....I'm thinking Carrie must have a goose hunting husband too!

This is the first quilt that I'd like to make out of the book and it happens to be the one featured on the front cover.

Carrie's book is perfectly quilty and perfect for using pre-cuts like charm packs (5" squares) and layer cakes (10" squares).

I'm partial to Layer Cakes myself and have quite a collection... (you can see some of them in the above photo)....

I like to keep my layer cakes rolled up in a cupboard for easy access and I like the way that they look like yummy patchwork cinnamon rolls.

I really should start using up my layer cakes at a faster rate than I collect them...lol...

Maybe Carrie's book will help me out with that situation!

My Book - Keeper...

Mr. Honey gave me a Kindle for Christmas. I was so excited, I have been wanting one for a long time.
For those of you who don't know what a Kindle is...it's a device that you can download and read books from....I like to compare it to an ipod...a kindle is like an ipod for books instead of music.
It's by Amazon and you can get one there and also download any book from them directly onto your Kindle in a matter of seconds. It holds 1,500 books. You can find out all about it here.

I love to read as much as I can...especially historical fiction. However, because of my work schedule I don't have much time to actually sit down and read.
So, for the past several years I have become an avid "book on CD listener".

When I am in my studio, I really enjoy listening to a good book as I draw, applique or use my sewing machine. Either that or watch old movies, or an old series on TV Land....but most of the time I am listening to a book.
I reserve the books (cd's) that I want from my local library's website.
This works out pretty good but alot of times I have to wait what seems like forever to get a popular or newly released book....well not any more!
This is the thing that I am so excited about my Kindle...it can also read books aloud to me. I download all of the books from Amazon's Kindle store....

Or....I can download any audio book onto my computer and then sync it into my Kindle and listen to it that way.
The Kindle allows me to take all of my books with me anywhere I'm going (even camping) in one compact device. I have several books on it now and I just LOVE it.
Another great thing is that I have downloaded the complete set of scriptures including the hymns and childrens songbook....also alot of other church manuals...very convenient.
It sounds complicated but really is not at all.
The website that I use to get the audio books is called audible.com.
Now I don't have to wait to get the next book in the current series that I am listening to at the time....YAY!

.
Okay...now about the Kindle keeper. I while back, my friend Kim from Bitty Bits & Pieces showed her Kindle and the keeper that she had designed for it. She put the tutorial on
Moda Bake Shop....if you want to make one, just go to Moda bake shop and search
Book Keeper...it will take you there.

Her instructions are great and the keeper is adorable...I whipped it up in no time at all.

This is the lining fabric that I used.

Thanks Kim for such a cute pattern! I love it and I love my Kindle.....:)