A Few Things

1. We saw Belle yesterday for "movie Monday." Soooo good! It's a winner---and there have been few of those lately.

2. I finished The Husband's Secret over the weekend. This is a fabulous book!! It's written in my favorite format---each chapter is a different person with a mini cliff-hanger at the end of each one. If you are in my book club, don't read it yet as I'll be choosing it for one of my picks in September.

3. I planned a project for when my sisters were here. Everyone had been saving corks. Here's what we made:

4. What a difference a week makes!

This tree hydrangea didn't even have a bud on it when we left for vacation. When we got home it was just starting to bloom. 

5. I picked up some needlework.

I made this for Mindy. Connie picked the project. She's just about finished with hers---all she has left is the background. The finished piece is about 24" tall and 10" wide. It worked up very fast because it's done on 13 count.

 The woman that did the finish work did a spectacular job.

 Here are a couple of close ups of the decorative stitches.

 Doing projects with a variety of stitches is so much fun. By always switching them up, it never gets boring. Plus, if you are doing a stitch you don't particularly like, you don't have to do it for long. 

This pill box was done by Stephanie. She turned it in for finishing months ago. You can pretty much plan that it's going to take nearly 6 months to get your needlework back---unless it's pillows. The lady that has been doing them for a few years now only takes about a month to get something back.

6. My latest AYM layout:

The journaling reads:

I have been a bibliophile ever since I can remember. I learned to read early. I read constantly. I belonged to a book club that sent me books each month. I couldn’t wait for them to arrive. My favorite gifts were books---although I pretended to my friends that I didn’t really like them---I certainly didn’t want to be considered a nerd. I don’t think a day has gone by since I learned to read that I have been without a book. I read every day. Sunday is my favorite reading day as I devote 2 to 4 hours to a good book. In the winter, there’s nothing I like better than sitting in front of the fireplace with my book. In summer, you’ll find me on the front porch swing. I have started 3 different book clubs. I really enjoy discussing books with other people. I love getting their perspectives and opinions. I read a wide variety of books---crossing most genres. I consider myself well read.

I have always loved the tactile experience of a book. It still surprises me that I could fall completely in love with my Kindle. But I have to say, with the advancement of that technology, I also love the Kindle app on my iPhone. Now, I am NEVER without my book. The only problem I have with my Kindle is the guilt it makes me feel. I have a beautiful library full of books---that sit idle these days. Even if I want to read one of them, I’ll end up purchasing it for my Kindle. It’s just so easy and convenient. Plus, one of my favorite features is being able to keep track of the number of books I read each year---on average---36. If I was forced to choose only one hobby in my life, READING would be it!!! I cannot live without books. Thomas Jefferson may have said it first, but it’s my sentiment exactly!

That's enough for now.