I am still playing along with scrapbook BINGO over at Paper Issues.
This is my third layout for the challenges, and this time my challenge was to use the color green.
Here is my layout:
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Transparency: Fancy Pants; Letter Stickers: American Crafts; Enamel Dots: Echo Park; Star Punch: EK Success
After cleaning my craft room, I have been finding lots of adorable pictures from when the kids were little. THIS guy is thirteen now! Time flies!
For my layout, I added a striped transparency over my word patterned paper. I used some cut apart sheets for the other paper pieces.
I really love this layout because it combines one of my all-time favorite pieces of paper (that word background), one of my all-time favorite collections (Fancy Pants Oh Boy), and that ADORABLE picture. He is just so cute. 🙂
Anyway, there is my third layout for BINGO.
I sure am having fun with these challenges, and there are already several more layouts I will be sharing over the coming weeks!
Texas Ranch Target is a contemporary action/romance novel written by Virginia Vaughan. It is book two in the Cowboy Protectors series, but it is not necessary to have read book one in order to read this one.
Summary: Brett Harmon’s career might just be over. The client he was protecting is dead, and he failed to protect her.
Headed home to the family ranch to lick his wounds, he stumbles across a woman in distress. She has been in a car wreck and has no memory of who she is.
Can Brett protect her from an unknown assailant, and figure out why she has his business card?
My Thoughts: I liked this book. I found it to be unbelievable in parts, but there was lots of action, a good mystery, and I liked the characters too.
This would be a fun one-time read for anyone who likes action/adventure with a dash of romance.
I would like to thank Harlequin for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!
Please note: This book will be released on April 25, 2023.
Broker of Lies is a contemporary novel written by Steven James.
Summary: Travis Brock’s memory is a steel trap. It makes him perfect for his government job, but also the perfect target for those who would use him for their own nefarious purposes.
When a strange missive from Homeland Security crosses his desk, he finds himself pulled into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Can he solve the clues before a dangerous attack is unleashed on an unsuspecting public-or will he be too late?
My Thoughts: I liked the premise of this book. There is a shadowy corporate conspiracy, sinister bad guys, plenty of chase scenes and action, and a good mystery too.
I enjoyed the characters as well. They were very quirky and different, which I found refreshing.
The book isn’t one I would re-read, but I did enjoy it, and the author definitely left it open for a sequel that has some interesting possibilities, so that’s fun too.
I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you.
I immediately thought of a pile of scraps I had from a Paige Evans’ collection. They were too pretty to get rid of, but I hadn’t done anything with them.
So, onto this layout they went!
Supplies: Patterned Paper: Paige Evans; Letter Stickers and Puffy Hearts and Dots: Elle’s Studio; Enamel Dots: Echo Park; Circle Stickers: Studio Calico
Now that I have my supplies organized in my new craft room set-up, I knew exactly where my scraps were, and I used quite a few-even for the photo mats!
I do wish I would have had longer scraps I could have used to make the top strips come down further, but overall, I like the layout, and am super happy to have used up a bunch of leftovers!
Stayed tuned-next week I will share the second layout I made for BINGO!
I used two arch dies to create the thin gold frame and layered white card stock on top of gold for the sentiment.
That’s it for now, but I hope you find time to do something fun today, and feel free to join us for this month’s challenge. You have until May 9th, so there’s plenty of time!
Blind Trust is a contemporary thriller written by Natalie Walters. It is book three in The SNAP Agency series, and while this book can be read as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it as the back story in previous books lays the foundation for this one.
Summary: Lyla Fox is used to danger-it comes with her job at SNAP. So, when she receives a threatening letter, she immediately begins her own investigation-regardless of her own personal safety. Can Nicolás Garcia and her other SNAP teammates protect her, or will she go too far this time?
My Thoughts: I liked this book. I am kind of sad to see the series end, as it’s been a fun read. And, I have been waiting for Lyla and Nicolás’ story, so it was nice to finally read about it.
I enjoyed the mystery in this one, the characters in this series are well-developed and likeable, and there was a lot of action as well.
It was a one-time read for me but is a good book overall.
I would like to thank Revell for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!
*Please note: This book will be released on April 11, 2023.
I love this mouse so much! I colored it to look nice and shaggy-kind of like a stuffed animal. It looks very fuzzy. 🙂
I also used a lighter color of ink to stencil closer to the center of my background panel and darker towards the outside, but it’s tough to see in the picture. It’s snowing here again, so pretty gloomy for taking pictures!
Well, that’s it for me today.
I hope you are inspired to create and would love to have you join us at this month’s challenge!
Here are my reading goals for 2023: 1. Read 250 books. This includes the books I read to the kids, audiobooks, and anything I read for myself. 70 DONE 2. Read twelve (new to me) classics/award-winners. 2 DONE 3. Read twelve self-help/education books. 5 DONE 4. Re-read thirty books. There are so many good books I have been meaning to re-read, so this is my goal to help with that! 9 DONE
A few formatting notes: 1. I have inserted pictures as well as Amazon links to the books I enjoyed most for the month so that it is easier to read more about each book if you are interested. Hopefully, your local library system will carry most of these. 2. If I completed a more detailed review of any of these books, I included a review link after my comments. 3. If a book is not available yet, you will see the publication date in parenthesis after my comments. 4. I have rated each book using a bold numbered star after each comment.
The rating system is as follows: *5-This book was so good, I either bought it, or think it is worth buying. I am pretty picky about the books I buy, so this is as good as it gets! *4-This book was worth reading, but not necessarily worth buying-look for these books at your local library *3-This book was just OK. I wouldn’t need to read it again. *2-Don’t bother *1-There probably won’t be any of these, because if it was THIS bad, I wouldn’t finish it. 🙂
Well, I was definitely able to read more books this month, which is nice! I finished re-reading one of my all-time favorite series-The Marcus Ryker series by Joel C. Rosenberg. Plus, I got more caught up on reading some of our History books to the kids, which I didn’t do much of last month with COVID.
Here is what I read in March:
1. The Persian Gamble (Marcus Ryker #2) by Joel C. Rosenberg-so exciting, loved it all over again! *5 2. The Jerusalem Assassin (Marcus Ryker #3) by Joel C. Rosenberg-another very exciting read! *5 3. The Beirut Protocol (Marcus Ryker #4) by Joel C. Rosenberg-I had forgotten just how much I enjoy this series! *5 4. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling-I read this aloud to the kiddos for History, and it was very interesting, and we enjoyed it! *4 5. Master Cornhill by Eloise Jarvis McGraw-read aloud to The Girlio for History. It was quite good! *4 6. If You Lived When There Was Slavery in America by Anne Kamma-read aloud to the kiddos for History. I really like this series, and we usually learn quite a bit from these books! *4 7. The Drinking Gourd by F.N. Monjo-read aloud to the kiddos for History-it was just OK *3 8. Who Was Abraham Lincoln? by Janet B. Pascal-read aloud to kiddos for History-good! *4 9. If You Grew Up With Abraham Lincoln by Ann McGovern-read aloud for History-good *4
10. The Libyan Diversion (Marcus Ryker #5) by Joel C. Rosenberg-loved it! So good! *5 (5/16/23) 11. Negative Cat by Sophie Blackall-read this aloud to The Little Guy-OK, liked the ending *3 12. Dust Bunny Wants a Friend by Amy Hevron-cute for toddlers *3 13. The Tide Pool Waits by Candace Fleming-interesting, and good for any science-loving kids *4 14. The Baby Tree by Sophie Blackall-very cute! *4 15. Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall-sweet story, but the pictures definitely steal the show! *4 16. If You Come to Earth-OK, one-time read *3 17. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins-WOW. I didn’t agree with some of it, but it’s still a fascinating and worthwhile read! *4 18. What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You by Kerri L. Richardson-OK and some good things, but a little too new age-y for me *3 19. Who Was Robert E. Lee? by Bonnie Bader-read aloud to the kids for History-good *4 20. The 100 Thing Challenge by Dave Bruno-poorly written, but I was able to glean a few good points *2
21. George Muller: The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans by Janet and Geoff Benge-read aloud to the kids-excellent! *5 22. Who Was Ulysses S. Grant? by Megan Stein-read aloud to the kids for History-good *4
This month I read nine books to the kids, and I read/listened to seven books just for me. I also read six picture books to myself for review.
For the year, I have read thirteen books to the kids and forty books just for me. I’ve also read seventeen picture books to myself for review.
That’s it for today. I will share my April books the first Tuesday in May!
Slow Down, Enjoy, and Create Part 2 