the help

I just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett and just loved it. I would recommend it to every woman I know, definitely a 'must read'. There are some books that I enjoy so much I don't want them to end, but yet I read them quickly because I don't want to put them down...and that was the case with The Help.

Check out the synopsis and Kathryn Stockett's website, and if you haven't already read it, go get yourself a copy now!

suite francaise

I am reading this amazing book right now...


If you haven't heard about it, check out this review. It is a wonderful read and a historical document {the story behind how the novel was discovered by Nemirovsky's daughter long after her death at a concentration camp is fascinating}.


I have always been interested in books related to WWII and the Holocaust, ever since reading Anne Frank, The Diary of Young Girl as a young girl and then visiting the Anne Frank House {back when I was a university student and I had time to travel!}.


Reading this book, has made me want to go back and re-read The Diary of a Young Girl again. So that will be next on my "to read" list.

everything i needed to know about being a girl...

I learned from Judy Blume.

I am reading this...

right now and am reminiscing about my childhood reading list.

Did you grow up reading Judy Blume too?

summer reading

I am currently reading this...

and wondering if the movie will be as good as the book.

I recently saw My Sister's Keeper

with Monique and Renee, and did not like the film as much as the book. The fact that the ending was dramatically changed from Jodi Picoult's book, was disappointing, since the book was awesome.

I am also currently reading anything I can get my hands on by Harlan Coben...

In the past couple weeks I have read Hold Tight, The Woods and No Second Chance. I can just fly through his books because they are so good, and so suspenseful I don't want to put them down.

Also I have been flipping through this...

and trying to decide which cupcakes the kiddies and I should make first! {Does a cook book count as reading?}

I just love, love, love to get caught up in a good book. I love finding a book that is so good you just don't want it to end. And so now my summer reading dilema is this...what books should I take with me on my upcoming trip?

mirror, mirror, on the...minibook

I am uploading new photos as I watch the snow come down, and down, and down. We may be snowed in here, soon!

Last week Renee, Mellisa and I took a class taught by our friend Stephanie, at the Scrapbox. The four of us got a chance to create and chat, so it was a great night. We also started planning for the Donna Downey event we are all going to, and some swaps to do together in the new year, for the event. We are going to try our own 'fabric fat book' inspired by the one Renee and I saw at Silver Bella {it was hosted by Michelle Geller, check out just how fabulous it was, here}.

Here is the mirror book I made in class, full of photos from R's first Christmas...

As usual, Stephanie designed a gorgeous book, with so many charming details. On one of the ribbons we hung charms that we made using Tim Holtz 'Fragments'. So easy to attach paper to the clear charms with crystal laquer - and so cute! There's a Heidi Swapp Chandelier Crystal on another ribbon...

Love the mix of Heidi Swapp and Making Memories papers and embellishments...

I love, love, love Heidi Swapp clocks...

and the Making Memories journaling cards...

The flocked damask paper that we put on the back cover is fabulous...

Check out the reflection of my vintage Christmas ornaments in the mirror cover of the book...

And just because it was in the background, here is a photo of my new favorite tree. It is a Bethany Lowe 'Vintage Inspired Silver Tree' that my mom sent me this year!

It's still snowing...

scrapbook monday

It is 'scrapbook Monday' but sadly I am not scrapping. Sigh. We were in a car accident yesterday {everyone is OK, soccer mom mini van is not}. We were crashed into by a crazy driver gentleman while we were sitting at a stop sign, and ended up being smashed up and turned another direction entirely,air bags exploding, van crumpling... Today we got the kiddies checked out by our doctor, just to be safe, and installed new car seats in our rental car {did you know you cannot use car seats after they have been in an accident?}. Anyway, my back is pretty sore, so I am missing out on scrapping at Kelly's, and instead am laying in bed with my lap top, checking out my favorite blogs!

Since I am not scrapping tonight, I thought I would post a few photos of LOs that were already uploaded onto my computer. They are oldies, but {I think} still goodies...

{totally scraplifted Candice Carpenter on this one...}

Something that cheered me out of my rage against crazy drivers funk today... I found the new Ali Edwards book that I pre-ordered, in my mailbox today {and it's an autographed copy -so cool}. So, when I finish blog stalking I can read all about the mini books that I am going to soon be scraplifting!

the twilight saga?

I have been hearing so much about The Twilight Saga books, by Stephenie Meyer, lately that I decided I had to see for myself what all the hoopla is about. So today, despite the fact that books about vampires are not something I normally would read, I bought the first book in the series. I'll let you know what I think...

sleep is for the weak

I think I need this book - it is going on my next Amazon order. I have never had so little sleep in my life since having children. Seriously, it is amazing that I am still functioning...

"Sleep is for the Weak" is an anthology of blogging by parents that I have seen advertised on the BlogHer site, you can read more about it here.

another dose of creative inspiration...

Just enjoying the latest issue of Artful Blogging...

and wishing I could be as creative as some of the women featured in this delightful mag.

Also wishing that the copy of Ali Edward's latest book, "Sharing Your Story" that I ordered from Cocoa Daisy, could get here asap, (along with these awesome travel stamps by Ali)...

Still have to finish going through the latest issues of Creating Keepsakes and Simple Scrapbooks that came in the mail last week too (I was too busy with our visitors to even get to them!). It seriously takes me forever to read all these mags, because I mark all the pages that I want to go back to, to scraplift from, or to get inspiration from while scrapping! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE books and magazines....!!!

So excited to be going to an all-day crop this weekend! I have high hopes for how much I will scrapbook there (I am working on documenting a trip from last summer)...

bbq, books and a bug

It seems my computer caught a little virus or something so I have been without the Internet for a couple days while dear K has been trying to get the bug out of my system! This has made me all the more aware of how attached I am to my computer - when I can't go online, I really do miss it! So now that I am out of withdrawal, I am going to catch up with some blogging...

This past weekend with my parents, we went to a BBQ at the home of my Mom's childhood friend, Rhonda.

Rhonda and her husband Bob have a beautiful home on the Ottawa River. Even on this rainy day, the view was wonderful. R had a great time looking for pirate ships {he brought his own pirate telescope/paper towel roll with him for just this purpose}...



Rhonda and Bob and their family gave me many more ideas of places to visit and things to do around Ontario {thank you for that}.

Bob, (Robert Leroux), is an author whose fictional novels take place in Ontario settings. I ordered Murder in the Glen and Dead in the Water when I got home - you can also order the books here and here.

We had a great time and hopefully we will make it back there soon for a ride on their boat!