Chick Lit Reading Challenge 2011 - Book # 3

My 3rd book for this challenge is Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.

Synopsis
Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true - a shopping friend for life! But it's trickier than she thought - two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping. She can create havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks to her own christening. She hires taxis at random, her favourite word is 'Mine', and she's even started bidding for designer bags on ebay. On top of everything else, there's a big financial crisis. People are having to Cut Back - including all of Becky's personal shopping clients - and she and Luke are still living with Becky's Mum and Dad. To cheer everyone up, Becky decides to throw a surprise birthday party - on a budget - but then things become really complicated. Who will end up on the naughty step, who will get a gold star and will Becky's secret wishes come true?

























This is the 6th installment of the popular Shopaholic series (one of them has been made into a film now I think) I haven't read all of the series but I think maybe Kinsella has gone as far as she can go with Becky. I found the main character of Becky very artificial and irritating - I felt I would like to give her a good slap!! If there is another book published in the series I can't see me reading it - the earlier books were a breezy light hearted read but this one just seem to plod along.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.



I am about three quarters of the way through the latest Marian Keyes book called The Brightest Star In The Sky.

At 66, Star Street in Dublin, someone is watching over the lives of the people living in its flats. But no one is aware of it – yet... One of them is ready to take the plunge and fall in love; another is torn between two very different lovers. For some, secrets they want to stay buried will come to light and for others, the unveiling of those secrets will have tragic consequences. Fate is on its way to Star Street, bringing with it love and tragedy, friendship and heartbreak, and the power to change their lives in the most unexpected of ways…




I have to admit ti trying to read this one when it first came out and for some reason I gave up on it. But my old friend Gill was raving on about it so thought I would give it another go. I think I didn't like the idea of the "magic" element of someone watching over the inhabitants of 66 Star Street. But since then I have read a few of Cecelia Aherns books and I have to say there are similarities - but I am not sure where the story id going to end up.

Next on my list to be read - simply because it is almost overdue from the library id another Katie Flynn - Heading Home. I do like her books - you can't go far wrong with a good family saga!

Claudia and her younger sister, Jenny, live with their parents, Louisa and Cormack Muldoon, in their grandmother's house in Blodwen Street. Louisa has a good job in a dress shop on Scotland Road and Cormack is a supervisor at the nearby tobacco manufactory. They assume they are settled for life, but then Grandpa Muldoon has a seizure and begs his son to return to Kilnevin and the family croft.




















I am also deciding which of the new Richard and Judy book club books I want to read - you can see more about this here.

Please pop over to The Book journey and see what everyone else is reading this Monday morning.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

One of the world's largest wildlife surveys, "the big garden birdwatch" is being launched by the UK's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
The charity hopes that around half a million people will record the abundance of different bird species visiting their gardens and open spaces.
By asking members of the public to spend one hour this weekend spotting birds, the charity can identify those species in most need of help.
The survey is now in its 32nd year.
They expect more birds than ever to be recorded in big garden birdwatch 2011, and maybe more unusual species than other years.
You do not need to have a garden to take part. Participants are expected to join in from a wider variety of gardens and public open spaces, including parks.

So Callum and I took up our positions in the sun room with the bird feeder fully laden with treats - and waited. And waited. And waited some more..........

I am afraid to say we only had one feathered visitor in that hour - a robin - but he must have been impressed as he came back 3 times!!! We were a bit disappointed but to be honest since moving into this house just over 2 years ago we don't seem to have that many birds coming into the garden (unlike Mr Mole who seems to have squatting rights!!) This might be because up until a few months ago we have still had building work going on but hopefully when they builders have finished the landscaping and have left the site for good more wildlife will venture in.

Despite that I am pleased how my photos of Mr Robin turned out - especially as I was shooting into the setting sun and they were taken through particularly grimy windows!!

B is for........

These are my photos for the letter B in the About 2011 A-Z photography challenge - this challenge is really making look when I am out and about with my camera.

B is for Bracken:























B is for Buds:























B is for Ball (and the only super league team worth supporting!):



B is for Boots. Callum's new rugby boots personalised with his name (unfortunately they are no longer this clean!):



B is for Boat:



B is for Beach huts:



B is for more Boots:

52 Weeks In B&W - #5

Cow parsley down by the water at Millbuies.

Skywatch Friday

Season 4, episode 29.

A seagull on the wing above Hopeman Beach.




See more stunning skies here.

52 Card Challenge #4

This weeks challenge is up over on Paper and Ribbons and it is to use buttons, pink and congratulations.

After a false start (one card filed under B!) this is what I came up with.

The first one is a card for a work colleague who recently became engaged. I embossed a piece of cream card using the Divine Swirls embossing folder and then cut 2 hears out of a scrap of very old Scenic Route paper called Loveland. The congratulations sentiment is by Paper Salon and is matted onto a piece of pink card - added a button and that was me all done.
























The second card was made using Basic Grey Bittersweet papers and the sentiment is a Stampin Up one - matted onto a scalloped circle (which was also by SU) and 3 clear pink buttons finished it off. Might keep this one for my friend who after having 2 boys has just found out she is expecting a girl due in June.

A Couple of Cards

These are the cards that created such a mess on my desk yesterday. I used this sketch from the Card Positioning Systems - I think card sketches are just as fab as the scrapbooking ones.























The papers I used for both cards were Basic Grey Sugared (a 6x6 pad) and some offcuts of card which I edged using a Martha Stewart doily lace punch. The sentiments are from a Personal Impressions set called Double Sayings.

























I have yet to post the baby card but the belated birthday card was well received this morning at work. And now all I have to make is a congratulations card for another work colleague as she got engaged just before Christmas while on holiday in Dubai - and we are all out for our tea tomorrow night to celebrate.

WOYWW 26th January

Some last minute cards were called for I realised last night - Gayle from work has a birthday yesterday which I completely forgot about (oops) and Another girl from work Karla had a baby girl over the weekend.

I found a great card sketch blog last night which goes under the rather uninspiring name of Card Positioning Systems - pop over and have a look as there are loads of wonderful sketches and ideas. I ended up using sketch 182 which was designed by Carly Robertson for my 2 very speedy cards - I will take a photo later when the light is better.




This is my scrap card box - an old pizza box which is falling apart at the seams - but I do try to use up these scraps when making cards - it seems so wasteful to cut into a sheet of new card just to use a little bit. Really need to find something a bite better to keep all these scraps in though.




My new Banana Frog "tadpole" stamps - the sale is coming to an end and I couldn't resist!!
























A new Partylite catalogue arrived on my doorstep yesterday thanks to Wendy - lots of new smells so roll on Sarah's party in April. Also a print out from the doctors which might explain what is wrong with Callum's foot - need to source some heel inserts for his shoes to see if that helps him.




Pop over and say hi to Julia and see what everyone else is up to on their desks.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading

I managed to finish The Distant Hours by Kate Morton on Friday - amazed I read all 674 pages in 5 days - but I just couldn't put it down. And it is when I have got a book like this on the go that I look forward to the days when I don't have the car to get to work and school. A friend up the road kindly takes us to school on those mornings which means I have three quarters of an hour to fill before I start work. So I head off to Starbucks for a big mug of coffee and a comfy chair!!

I am currently reading the latest installment in the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella for the Chick Lit reading challenge. I will admit to having not read them all but one day I will catch up!! This one is called Mini Shopaholic in which Becky's baby is now 2 years old - so far it's a quick light read - managed to get through almost half of it while Callum was playing rugby yesterday morning.
























Not sure what to read next - although I do need to make a start on the Stephen King reading challenge and have Full Dark, No Stars waiting.

Get Your Sketch On #3

I found out about the Get Your Sketch On blog after reading Sarah's blog - and like Sarah I love a good sketch or two!! I think this is quite a new blog from what I can see and I thought I would have a go at sketch #3 at today's crop.

Now I am usually a one photo one page scrapper so this one took me out of my comfort zone a bit but it was such a great sketch.




The photos are of Callum taken in the park of Duff House in Banff - about half an hour before the Banff rugby festival back in November last year. The papers are So Sophie by My Minds Eye which I picked up in a sale a few weeks ago - just love those brown, greens and blues.

I apologize for the rubbish photo but it was pitch dark by the time I got back from the crop - and the energy saving light bulbs in our house don't make for ideal photography lighting. I will try to take a better photo tomorrow in the day light.

Blog Candy

Debbi has some gorgeous candy on her blog - she is a Design Team member over at Simply Create in Alford. I really need to visit Jacqui's new shop - the old one was stunning - but need to save some pennies first!!

52 Weeks In B&W - Week #4

A boy in his wellies!!

2011 Walks With My Camera - # 3

A very chilly walk along Hopeman Beach with Callum - and the crazy boy wanted to stop at the shop on the way down to get an ice cream!!

Callum spent so much time jumping and running in and out of the sea he managed to fill his wellies full of water!







I tried again (not very successfully) to slow down the moving water - still needs some work and a tripod I think.




Walked back along the path that leads to all the colourful beach huts.






And back to the harbour - where Callum let me take some photos of him.

Our Space - Multicoloured

My scrummy Doodlebug "sugar coated" glitter - 12 delicious colours. But too nice to actually use - like many other things in my craft room!!

Skywatch Friday

Series 4, Episode 28.

Another glorious sunset - taken from my back garden one evening this week.























And a glorious sunrise taken just before 9am this morning.










See more stunning skies here.

Our Space - Pink

I am really not a pink girlie girl and will usually avoid pink at all costs (including when I was trying to upgrade my phone I had to tell the chap that I didn't mind what phone it was as long as it wasn't pink!)

But when the weather gets warmer I do like to paint my toenails (have no finger nails to speak of so no point bothering with them!) and the brighter the colour the better. I bought this one when I did a local car boot sale and the lady in the car next to me used to be a Virgin Vie demonstrator and was selling off all her stock. Not sure I actually made much profit from that car boot sale in the end!!!

52 Card Challenge # 3

This weeks card prompt over on Paper and Ribbons was to use blue, flourishes and hello - and this is what I came up with.

The paper is Atomic Turquoise by Kelly Pannaci and I must have had this range for several years - I love the green and turquoise combination. I used a Stampin Up scalloped border punch and the stamps are all by Banana Frog. The hello sentiment is Sentimental Style which I recently bought in their sale and it consists of a couple of frames and 10 sentiments which fit perfectly inside. The flourish is from my very well used Elegant Swirls set. The glitter was a bit of an afterthought - and of course I managed to get it everywhere!! A bit disappointed that the glue pad I used left a faint pink tinge to the card which I can still see through the glitter.