homemade coupon organizer

Crafting week was moved to this week and Jami has a nice little item she's sharing...
check it out here...
Just a little sneak peak.....

Operation Bonnet by Kimberly Stuart

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Operation Bonnet David C. Cook; New edition (February 1, 2011) by Kimberly Stuart

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kimberly says:

I am a writer of comedic fiction, and would like to suggest that you laugh regularly when reading my books. Let’s also try for one to two teary moments. If you are crying more than that, you don’t understand my sense of humor and should move on to another author.

I grew up in a book-loving home. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. My mom loves books. My dad loves to read the first chapters of books and then make us all listen as he recites his favorite passages. I, however, enjoy reading books in their entirety and came into writing as a result of book-love. After earning two fancy degrees in education and Spanish, I promptly let the thinking part of my brain take a breather and instead became pregnant. (I’m sure a lot of other things happened between early literacy and pregnancy but I don’t really remember any of that. If you also have shared your uterus with another human, you understand.)

In an effort to author a book that would entertain my sassy, irreverent, breast-feeding/drooping friends, I wrote my first novel, Balancing Act. People were so nice to me after that, I decided to continue with writing. Also, I can’t craft, knit, or scrapbook, so what else was a nice, Christian girl to do?

In addition to writing books to make my friends laugh and cry, I observe the chaos at the home I share with my unfailingly supportive husband and three offspring. We’re doing our best and so far, no one’s been to prison.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Twenty-year-old Nellie Monroe has a restless brilliance that makes her a bit of an odd duck. She wants to be a private investigator, even though her tiny hometown offers no hope of clients. Until she meets Amos Shetler, an Amish dropout carrying a torch for the girl he left behind.

So Nellie straps on her bonnet and goes undercover to get the dish. But though she’s brainy, Nellie is clueless when it comes to real life and real relationships. Soon she’s alienated her best friend, angered her college professor, and botched her case.

Operation Bonnet is a comedy of errors, a surprising take on love, and a story of grace.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Operation Bonnet, go HERE.

Watch the book video trailer:

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Save The Date Thomas Nelson (February 1, 2011) by Jenny B. Jones

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series and So Not Happening. I would also like to take credit for Twilight , but somewhere I think I read you’re not supposed to lie.

When I’m not typing my heart out (or checking email), I teach at a super-sized high school in Arkansas.

My students are constantly telling me how my teaching changes their lives and turned them away from drugs, gangs, and C-SPAN.

Okay, that’s not exactly true.

Some facts that are true include:

I've always been refined!

A. I got my camera confiscated by big boys with guns at the American Embassy in Europe this past summer. O la la!

B. I once worked in a seed mill office and cleaned out mice on a regular basis. Ew.

C. I’m a former drama teacher.

D. I didn’t pass my drivers test the first time. Or the second…

E. I attract stray animals like a magnet.

F. I used to assemble and test paint ball guns for a local factory...

Since my current job leaves me with very little free time, I believe in spending my spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits such as:

-watching E!

-updating my status on Facebook

-catching Will Ferrell on YouTube and

-writing my name in the dust on my furniture

I’d love to hear about you, so drop me a note. Or check me out on Facebook.

ABOUT THE BOOK

You’re invited to the engagement of the most unlikely couple of the year.

When the funding for Lucy’s non-profit job is pulled, she is determined to find out why. Enter Alex Sinclair, former professional football star and heir of Sinclair Enterprises—the primary donor to Lucy’s Saving Grace organization. Alex Sinclair has it all . . . except for the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Both Lucy and Alex have something the other wants. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancée in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn’t quite what he seems, Lucy finds her heart – and her future – on the line.

Save the Date is a spunky romance that will have readers laughing out loud as this dubious pair try to save their careers, their dreams . . . and maybe even a date.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Save The Date, go HERE

FNS-Flop

Well, the intents were good, but very little was accomplished in my February sew-in.  Heidi and Bobbie host a monthly sew-in.  I tried and did get some sewing in but just not what was planned.  Best laid plans went hay-wire to say the least.  First off, I lost my sewing partner.  My dd was called in to work so she wasn't able to sew.  So I set down and started to sew on my cross-stitch project around 4 pm...
I got out all the supplies....

and started getting things ready to dig in...  cutting my material, finding the center and finding the center of pattern....

cool.  How hard can it be. really.  I hadn't done a counted cross-stitch in awhile I was really clipping along...

but as I was stitching I'm picturing this little project that my mom has given to me in my head.  Yep, it is kind of a made up thing.  I found a patter to go with the saying she wanted.  Previously, I laid out the saying on graph paper and got it all counted out.  Bingo ready to go.....um, excuse me.... Now, I'm getting a funny filling....  Yep, you guessed it.  I cut the material the wrong size.   So guess what.  I had to cut a new piece of material and start again....  ARGH!  By this time I'd spent 2 hours on the project. And daughters call and say, "Mom we're off work bring a movie and pizza do you have chips?  So much for sewing....
I did do some stitching while watching the movie after getting the material situation all figured out.  Well, I hope I figured it out.  So here is what I got accomplished....

Here is the pattern ...

after I got started on the correct path I hope.  I told my daughter, "I should have done this on a light blue material..  She said, "Does that mean you are starting over again?"  I said, "Nope".  We'll just have a white sky or I'll cross-stitch the sky blue.  I'm not starting over baby.... Yep, I'm a little rusty.  I haven't cross-stitched in about 6 months.  Hopefully next session will be a little more productive.  How was your FNSi?

Before you go thought I'd share a giveaway I found.  You'll have to head over to Vignette in Stitches' Blog to enter. 

How about this giveaway.  I found another sewing related giveaway.  Check it out at Feathers in the Nest blog

Valentine greeting 4 U

Stupid in Love by Julie Lessman

Today being it is Valentine's day I wanted to share an excerpt of one of my all time favorite author's, Julie Lessman.  I just love this author.  She posted it this article over at Seekerville last week.  You'll have to go over there if you want the full article.  I'll just whet your whistle.... (click here for the full article from start to finish).

...after hours of putting my husband through the paces, I was more than a little curious as to just why he puts up with a CDQ like me (caffeinated drama queen), so I hugged him in the kitchen, eyes misty with love. “I don’t deserve you, babe,” I say for the millionth time. “I know,” he says with a quirk of a smile and a tease in his tone. “And I don’t deserve you either.” I laugh and caress his stubbled chin with my thumb. “Why do you do it?” I ask, suddenly serious, not sure if he was a glutton for punishment, short on brain cells or both. “I don’t know,” he says, giving me a quick kiss on the lips. “I guess I’m just stupid in love.”

And there you have it—“stupid in love.” The very thing every woman craves for herself and one of the biggest reasons that romance sells like it does. Women want to be cherished. To be made to feel they are beautiful, sexy, the most important person in the world to the man that they love. A man strong enough to be worthy of them, but gentle enough to make them feel cherished. In short, a man so “stupid in love” that he’s willing to relent, to give of himself for the woman he loves. Few things are more irresistible to women than that, and few things are more irresistible to romance readers than a hero who’s “stupid in love.”....

 ...When a man is “stupid in love,” he is so gaga over a woman that he will do anything for her, even if it’s out of character or against his will (like Rhett marrying Scarlett). If you think about it, it’s a kind of a good “control” that women exercise over men, being so loved by a man that he will sacrifice for her, defend her, do things he doesn’t want to do or even stop doing things he does want to do, solely for her sake....

So, in honor of Valentine’s Day, instead of a lesson plan on writing, I thought it would be fun to show some of the ways I like to depict heroes who are “stupid in love” without sacrificing their strength or masculinity....(read full article here)

Julie goes on to share 9 different stupid in love scenes from her book....(click here for the full article...)

I know I'm bad but Julie is good and if you haven't read any of her books you'll love them if you love romance.  She is a romantic writer.  I just love her books. 

that time again

This coming Friday night is the monthly sew-in.  Heidi @ Handmade by Heidi and Bobbie @ Crafty Vegas Mom host this sew-in.  It is so much fun.  My daughter and I always look forward to participating.  We are going to continue working on our "I Spy" Flannel quilt that we are making.  I can't wait to get started sewing.  This month the sign up is at Bobbie's.  get details and sign up here.

Beans B Ground....

Ok.  I've been meaning to post this for some time and just haven't done it.  Way back last year can't remember which month, but I won a bag of Eight O'clock whole Coffee beans (and I don't remember whose site I won it on).  So I had these whole beans and NO coffee mill.  It took me several months to decide what I wanted to do with these whole beans.  Then an inspiration came to me... I had tucked in the back of the pantry an old food grinder that I used to puree food when my now teen girls were babies.  So I dug it out and low and behold here is what happened...

like magic

the beans be grounds

Presto, my whole beans turned into grounds and my hubby and I loved the hazelnut coffee... It was just sssssoooo yummy!  This week I came to the bottom of the barrel and had to go back to regular flavor coffee.  Now that I know I can grind whole beans I may have to try some other flavors.  I saw a chocolate caramel brownie flavor bean... it sounds oh so yummy!  All those years of pack ratting and my food grinder came in handy again.  I tried to find the grinder on-line but just couldn't bring it up.  It is at least 20 years old if not older because someone gave it to my when my girls were babies, so probably don't even make them any more..... I think I may have to keep this grinder around for another rainy (or snowy) day, which ever be the case.   Just had to post my little episode. 

WWW ~ Feb. 09, 2011

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

 see my book site for other books I'm currently reading.  
Click here to go to 4 the LOVE of BOOKS

 
Recently Finished:

Read my review and see this book tour here.

see my book site for other books I've recently finished reading.
Click here to go to 4 the LOVE of BOOKS

Next Read:

Wordless Wednesday ~ stuck like glue

Leave a comment and I'll visit your Wordless Wednesday

Valentine sewing projects

Here's another eBook to download for all you craft and sewing fans.   

Click here to go to the download page.

cooking tips

This week Jami is offering some tips and tricks.  She's posted a yummy mint Chocolate cake recipe too.  Oh, it looks sssssooooo yummy!  Check out her blog here.

Free Craft book download

Check out this Free Valentine Craft download.  

Click here for details.

sweetheart fabric wreath

I just had to post about this cool fabric wreath I just saw a Gooseberry patch web site.  It is so cool.  Head over there and check it out....click here.

sweetheart fabric wreath

check out Jami's site

I know I'm a little late on this.  Sorry I've been somewhat AWOL on here.  I've been experiencing some shoulder problems and it just hurts to do just about anything, even type at the computer.  Check out this neat handbook that Jami is sharing on her site this week.  She's giving step-by-step instructions on how she made her handbook plus items she put in hers and download printables.  Click here to go to her day one post on making the handbook.