This Impossible Brightness by Jessica Bryant Klagmann

Title: This Impossible Brightness; A Novel

Author: Jessica Bryant Klagmann

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: February 1, 2024

Length: 308 Pages

Amazon Prime First Reads - January 2024

About the Author
Jessica Bryant Klagmann grew up in New England, studied writing in Fairbanks, Alaska, and now lives with her family in northern New Mexico. Her work has been published in environmental journals like Whitefish Review and Terrain.org.

An Amazing Adventure and Love Story
Alma Hughes moves to a remote island in the North Atlantic in hopes of dealing with the loss of her fiance. She also wants to tend to the needs of her ailing dog. Alma learns to communicate with "Echoes" and finds a purpose for her secluded life. 

My Thoughts
I have never read a book quite like this one. There were times when I was a bit confused by the different characters. I had to get used to the idea that Alma could see and communicate with people who were no longer living. Alma's dog was especially poignant and memorable. 

Alma was constantly dealing with the fact that the North Atlantic island was slowly being swallowed up by the sea. The harsh elements were a constant challenge. The issue of climate change was a strong part of this story.

This book was a combination of science fiction, adventure, and love story. I found the last couple of chapters especially engaging and all the questions that I had earlier were answered. The story ended with the strong message that love never ends. 

Alma was a courageous and resilient woman and I enjoyed getting to know her. This book took me out of my comfort zone and introduced me to a faraway place where hope and love endure.

MY RATING: 4 Stars OUt Of 5

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

 

Title: Dear Edward; A Novel

Author: Ann Napolitano

Publisher: Dial Press

Publication Date: January 6, 2020

Length: 353 Pages

Read With Jenna - January, 2020

About the Author
Ann Napolitano was the Associate Editor of One Story literary magazine for seven years and received an MFA from New York University. She has taught fiction writing for Brooklyn College's MFA program, New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and for Gotham Writers' Workshop.

Tragedy, Resilience, and Hope
This book is about an airplane crash that killed 190 people. There was one young survivor on the plane and his name was Edward Adler. Edward's mother, father, and brother were killed and he was seriously injured.
 The chapters alternate between scenes on the ill-fated airplane and Edward's journey after the wreck.

My Thoughts
In the past, I have not read very many adult fiction books. I tend to choose nonfiction and children's books. In 2024, I have resolved to read at least one adult fiction book each month. I finished reading this book on New Year's Day. I am so happy that I am starting the year with such a wonderful book. I love this book because Edward Adler showed us how to bounce back from an unimaginable tragedy.  He demonstrated courage, resilience, and the power of love. 

Edward developed a friendship with a neighbor girl named Shay. This friendship slowly developed into a lasting love. Edward and Shay discovered hidden bags of letters that were written to Edward by family members of people killed on the airplane. These letters motivated Edward to reach out to others and share his wealth with those in need.

This is my favorite quote in the book. Many years ago I was seriously injured in a head-on car wreck with a drunk driver. This quote speaks to me.

“There was no reason for what happened to you, Eddie. You could have died; you just didn’t. It was dumb luck. Nobody chose you for anything. Which means, truly, that you can do anything.”

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5 

My Alien Life by J. Martain - Audiobook Review

Title: My Alien Life; a Novelette (Audiobook)

Author: J. Martain

Narrator: April Doty

Publisher: BooksGoSocial Audio

Publication Date: December 22, 2022

Length: 1 hour, 1 minute

About the Author
 J. Martain is a coastal North Carolina native who spends most of her time questioning the way the universe and all the beings in it work. Her characters are sometimes human, sometimes not, but they prefer not to be judged on that criteria.

Family Drama and Promise Keeping Young Lynette did not remember her mother. She was raised in rural North Carolina by her hard-working father. When Lynette's father died, the only relative willing to take Lynette was her great, great Aunt Magnolia. Lynette was nine years old and Aunt Mag promised to stay alive until Lynette was sixteen years old.

This is the poignant story of Lynette's seven years with her Great-great-aunt Magnolia Rose McClellan, the oldest sister of her mother's great-grandmother. Aunt Mag didn't have very much money, but she taught Lynette the meaning of love, commitment, and family.

The narration of the audiobook is very good. The southern dialect makes the characters come to life.

My Thoughts I listened to the audiobook and I also read a digital copy of the book. The narration of the audiobook is awesome and I enjoyed listening to the story. The characters were very authentic and I felt great empathy for Lynette, especially after her father died. I was not sure about her future with Aunt Mag, but the more I listened the more I realized that Lynette was in the right place.

Aunt Mag was totally committed to raising Lynette and keeping her promise. This short story will make your heart smile.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful listening experience.

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If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk - Book Review

 

Title: If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk; Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans

Author: John Pavlovitz

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Length: 238 Pages

About the Author
John Pavlovitz is a blogger, author, and pastor based in North Carolina. His blog, Stuff That Needs to Be Said, recently surpassed one hundred million views.

We Have One Job; LOVE!
Loving God and neighbor and self is the elemental stuff of Christian prayers, songs, T-shirts, and bumper stickers...and we all know that.

However, there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. Love is the path that Jesus laid out for us. This book is about the walking: about imagining what love should or could look like if we take that mandate seriously. 

My Thoughts 
John Pavlovitz has written a powerful book that challenges the reader to really think about the conclusions we hold about the character of God. Our ability to be loving to ourselves and our neighbors is in many ways a product of these conclusions.

"One set of answers will yield a hopeful, compassionate benevolence that continually moves us to welcome others in and to live with an openhanded generosity...and another is likely to construct a scalding, brimstone-laden judgmentalism that leaves us predisposed to exclude and prone to finger wagging."

 The author believes we should be compassionate and empathetic to our fellow human beings. We are all jerks at times...setting out to hurt another person and succeeding. We should ask ourselves, "Am I trying to understand this person, or am I trying to defeat them?" Understanding is a key element in love.

We tend to see the world through the filters of our personal background, culture, and education. It is really difficult to be open-minded and understand the reasons for our preferences and prejudices. We live in our own little world and are mostly ignorant about how the rest of the world is living. This book encourages you to open your mind and your heart. It asks you to really SEE what is going on around you. Your religion is not what you believe, your religion is how you treat people.

Mr. Pavlovitz comes down hard on traditional evangelical churches and challenges them to be "The Church of Not Being Horrible." We have ONE job: LOVE!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Be My Cupcake Handmade Card

 Be My Cupcake!

I used this as a Valentine's Day card but it could also make a sweet birthday card.

Please click on the picture to enlarge it.

This card features the digital stamp/sentiment "Love Cupcake" from Mo's Digital Pencil. The background paper is from the "Que Sera Sera" paper pad by K&Company. I embellished the card with a cupcake and heart stickers from my stash.

I will enter this card in the following challenge;

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #300

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I Need You Emo Goth Halloween Card

 

This sweet girl is holding a heart in her hands and thinking about someone special. Who is she thinking about? That is a mystery!

This handmade card features the digital stamp "Need You" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I printed the image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic Sketch markers. I then cut it out and attached it to a piece of "Abandoned" cardstock by Tim Holtz.  I used a Tim Holtz Halloween stencil and some distress ink to make the spider webs in the background.

The finished card measures 5" by 6.5". 

I will enter this card in the following challenges;

Always Fun Challenges #186

Artsystamper Digitals Challenge #26

Crafting Happiness Challenge #69

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #296

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Let Love Grow Handmade Card

Click on the image to enlarge.

This card could be used for Valentine's Day, a spring birthday or just to let someone know you are thinking about them.

I used the digital stamp/image "Let Love Grow" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I colored the image with Copic Sketch markers.
The background digital paper is from "Paris in My Heart Printable Journal Kit" by EphemerasGarden on Etsy.

The base is a blank kraft card that measures 5" by 7". I embellished the card with a piece of red baby rickrack trim.

I will enter this card in the following challenge:
Mo's Challenge #288 - Love

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A Rose Anniversary Card

Click on image to enlarge.

I am wishing my daughter Cindy and her husband Scott a happy wedding anniversary today. I sent them this card to help celebrate their special day.

This is how I made the card:

I started with a blank kraft greeting card that measures 5" by 6 1/2".

The background design is a digital paper from "Love is Chic Printable Journal Kit" by Ephemera's Vintage Garden on Etsy. I used two different pages and die-cut the scalloped edge.

I printed the paper on cardstock using my  HP Envy Photo 7855 Printer and the HP Instant Ink Program. I love to print lovely digital paper in my printer and never have to worry about running out of ink. Click on my link for a FREE one month trial!

I chose the digital stamp "A Rose" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I printed the image on white cardstock and used alcohol markers to color it (Copic sketch markers and Promarkers). I used a Spellbinders die to cut/emboss the image.

I used the sentiment "A special kind of love" from the Digital Collage Sheet Love and Valentine Words and Phrases from LisasAlteredArt on Etsy.

I completed the card with a bow made from pink linen ribbon/yarn.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge - Week 15
Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #278 - Anything "Mo" Goes
Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - Week of April 9

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The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven: The Sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Author: Mitch Albom

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: October 9, 2018

Length: 224 pages







About the Author
Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned author, screenwriter, playwright, nationally syndicated columnist, broadcaster and musician. He is the author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers.

Annie's Story
Fifteen years ago, in Mitch Albom’s beloved novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, the world fell in love with Eddie, an amusement park mechanic who died saving the life of a young girl named Annie. Eddie’s journey to heaven taught him that every life matters. Now, in this sequel, Mitch Albom reveals Annie’s story.

My Thoughts
I don't read much fiction, but I did read The Five People You Meet in Heaven when it was published 15 years ago. I also saw the movie. When I learned there was a sequel to this book, I wanted to read it.

This is a fast read...mostly because it is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. Annie has grown up and is preparing to get married. She had a difficult childhood after the accident at the amusement park, but she is looking forward to a life of happiness with her new husband.

There are many unexpected twists and turns in the plot. There are emotional segments that have you laughing one moment and tears streaming from your eyes the next. 

The story is about how our lives are connected and each of our actions has an effect on future events. Everything happens for a reason.

“No story sits by itself. Our lives connect like threads on a loom, interwoven in ways we never realise...There's no such thing as a nobody. And there are no mistakes." 

I found this to be an uplifting and entertaining read. I don't want to spoil the story by saying what happens and how it ends. I will just say that Annie discovers the answers to many questions about her life and learns the meaning of sacrifice, commitment, and true love.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I checked-out a print copy of this book at my local public library.

Love Endures Sympathy Card

Click on the image to enlarge.

I made this sympathy card for a friend who lost a beloved family member.
I truly believe that love never dies...it endures forever.

This is how I made the card;
I started with a blank kraft cardstock card that measures 5" by 6.5".

The background paper is from the Tim Holtz Wallflower Paper Stash.

I used the digital stamp "Flower Jar" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I printed the image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic Sketch Markers and Promarkers. I cut it out and chomped the corners with a Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper (Clearance item from Hobby Lobby). I used a Spellbinders die to cut the black frame and used double-sided tape to attach the image to the frame.
I chose the sentiment "Love Endures" from the Digital Phrase Collage Sheet #9
from Lisa's Altered Art on Etsy. I die cut the black frame and attached the sentiment to the frame with glue dots.

I finished the card by tying a piece of twine around the card and making a bow.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments Challenge #210
Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #78
Craft Rocket Challenge #51
Crafting By Designs August 2018 Challenge
Crafting With An Attitude Challenge #42
Crafty Creations Challenge #373
Little Miss Muffet Challenge #196

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Cancer Patient Dies With Dignity

Dying Well: Our Journey of Love and Loss

Author: Susan Ducharme Hoben

Publisher: Canton Press

Publication Date: March 18, 2018

Length: 290 Pages




About the Author
Susan Ducharme Hoben feels passionately that we Americans do not die well, taking a terrible toll on us, emotionally and financially. She hopes that her experience with an uplifting end-of-life journey can contribute a valuable perspective to the growing interest in exploring how we die. 

An Uplifting End-Of-Life Journey
Susan Hoben was a breast cancer survivor. 

In 2008. Bruce Hoben was diagnosed with a tumor where the esophagus joins the stomach. Bruce was 67-years-old and appeared to be in excellent physical condition.

Bruce was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor. There was also significant disease in the lymph nodes and four nodules on the liver. Bruce had stage 4 cancer and the prognosis was not good.

Bruce received chemotherapy treatments and experienced a brief remission. When the cancer came back, the Hobens decided to refuse any further treatments and let the disease run it's course. This is their story.

My Thoughts
This book was written in the form of a personal diary or journal.

Mrs. Hoben wrote about her husband's final months with love, compassion and empathy. This book is truly a celebration of life.

Bruce Hoben spent his final weeks saying goodbye to former coworkers, neighbors, friends and family members. The family events and interactions were especially heart-warming and poignant.

Mr. Hoben did not spend his final days in a hospital undergoing extreme measures that would put his quality of life in jeopardy. He was under the care of his physician and a hospice service, but he stayed at home with his loved ones.

Bruce Hoben passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on June 15, 2009. 

This book is an excellent resource for families who are facing end-of-life decisions. We will all have to face our own deaths and the deaths of loved ones. This book provides many important subjects to think about.  Highly recommended!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5


FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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Handmade Love Birds Card

My spring card making season is in full swing. I made this anniversary card yesterday for a special couple who will be celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary next week.

This is how I made the card:

1. I started with a blank kraft card that measures 5" by 6.5".

2. The pink background cardstock is from "Que Sera Sera" paper pack from K & Company. This is a double-sided cardstock and I used the reverse green side to diecut the circle.

3. I chose the digital stamp "Lovebirdz" from Mo's Digital Pencil for this card. I printed the image on white cardstock and colored it with Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I love the vibrant colors that I get from these water-based markers. I fussy cut the image and used glue dots to attach it to the green background.

4. I used the Spellbinders die "Floral Corner 2" to make the embellishment under the green circle. The floral embellishment was cut from the same paper as the circle. 

5. I made the "Happy Anniversary" sentiment with a Dymo Label Buddy embossing label maker.

I am entering this card in the 613 Avenue Create Challenge #208.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Seven Stories of Christmas Love by Leo Buscaglia - A Review

Seven Stories of Christmas Love

By: Leo Buscaglia, PhD

Illustrator: Tom Newsom

Publisher: Slack Incorporated

Date of Publication: June 1, 1987

Length: 110 Pages


About the Author
Felice Leonardo "Leo" Buscaglia PhD, also known as "Dr. Love," was an American author and motivational speaker, and a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California. His dynamic speaking style was discovered by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and his televised lectures earned great popularity in the 1980s. At one point his talks, always shown during fund raising periods, were the top earners of all PBS programs. Dr. Buscaglia died of a heart attack on June 12, 1998.

The Spirit of Christmas is Love
This book features the following short stories about the author's Christmas memories:

A Christmas Morning Memory - A story about Leo's poor Italian  immigrant family and a lesson in forgiveness and love.

Two Festivals of Light - Leo and his family share Christmas dinner with their new Jewish neighbors.

A Gift of Ravioli - When Leo was a boy, he had a crush on the public librarian. He only had some of his mother's homemade ravioli to give her at Christmas, but that was enough.

The Christmas Story According to Big Matthew - A humorous story about Leo directing the Christmas pageant when he was a young elementary school teacher.

A Santa Suit Does Not a Santa Claus Make - Leo is recruited to be the school Santa Claus when the school custodian fell ill.

No Room at the Inn - Leo shares the Christmas story during a magical trip to Bali on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't - Leo finds himself in the hospital recovering from a heart attack and quintuple heart bypass surgery on Christmas day, 1992. This does not stop him from spreading love to fellow members of the "Open Heart Club."

 My Thoughts
I remember watching Dr. Leo Buscaglia on PBS and reading his books in the 1980s. When I saw this book at the library sale, I was immediately drawn to it. This little book does an amazing job defining the true meaning of Christmas. The author tells how each of the Christmas memories he shared in this book reinforced his beliefs in the value of caring and love.

I can't choose a favorite story from this book...I loved them all. The illustrations are lovely and add value to the stories.

The spirit of Christmas is love. Each of the seven stories in this book emphasized the importance of family, friendship, caring, sharing and love. "Dr. Love" was a great inspiration to all who heard him speak and read his books.

I highly recommend this book to older children and adults. 
It is a short book that packs a mighty punch. You will want to read it each year to remind you of the true meaning of the season.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I found this book on the quarter shelf at a Friends of the Library sale.

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A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote - A Review

A Christmas Memory

Author: Truman Capote

Illustrator: Beth Peck

Publisher: Knopf Books For Young Readers

Publication Date: First published in 1956. Audio book published October 28, 2014



About the Author
Truman Capote was born in 1924 and died in 1984. Based on his own boyhood in rural Alabama in the 1930s, A Christmas Memory was originally published in Mademoiselle in 1956 and later was included in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

"As for me, I could leave the world with today in my eyes.”  
Truman Capote remembers a cherished Christmas in the 1930s. Young Truman is 7-years-old and lives in a home with a family of distant and elderly cousins in a small town in Alabama. 

Truman's best friend is his cousin Miss Sook Faulk. She is in her sixties but is child-like in her ways. She calls Truman "Buddy", in memory of a boy who was formerly her best friend. The other Buddy died in the 1880s, when he was still a child.

Sook's first Christmas tradition of the season is making fruitcakes. When Sook happily exclaims, "It's fruitcake weather," Buddy knows that Christmas is not far away. Even though they have very little money, Sook is able to collect all the ingredients she needs to make delicious fruitcakes. Queenie, their beloved dog, is their constant companion.

“It's bad enough in life to do without something YOU want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something you want THEM to have.”   Cousin Sook

 Sook is good at stashing away a little pocket change  but there is no money for gifts. Sook and Truman make handmade gifts for each other. They decorate a Christmas tree with handmade art work. 

Favorite Quotation

“My, how foolish I am! You know what I've always thought? I've always thought a body would have to be sick and dying before they saw the Lord. And I imagined that when He came it would be like looking at the Baptist window: pretty as colored glass with the sun pouring through, such a shine you don't know it's getting dark. And it's been a comfort: to think of that shine taking away all the spooky feeling. But I'll wager it never happens. I'll wager at the very end a body realizes the Lord has already shown Himself. That things as they are, just what they've always seen, was seeing Him. As for me, I could leave the world with today in my eyes.” Cousin Sook

My Thoughts
This is a classic Christmas story that is appropriate for children and adults. The theme of this story is friendship and love, the greatest gifts of all. Young Truman cherished his handmade gift from Sook and the wonderful times they spent together more than anything money could buy.

The last two pages of the story are poignant and heart-wrenching. Like life itself, time moved forward and things changed. I don't usually like stories with sad endings (especially when dogs are involved), but the end came in a way that accentuated the love and joy that Truman remembered from his past.

This was the last Christmas that Truman and Sook had together. Truman was sent off to military school, poor Queenie was killed by a neighbor's horse and Sook's health declined. But the memories lived on. 

Highly recommended for all ages. 

MY RATING - 5 Stars Out of 5

FYI - I purchased a print copy of this book from the quarter shelf at a Friends of the Library Sale. This book includes a CD narration of the story but I have not listened to it.

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Skipping Christmas by John Grisham - A Review

Skipping Christmas

Author: John Grisham

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication Date: November 6, 2001

Pages: 177





About the Author
John Grisham is an American bestselling writer, attorney, politician, and activist best known for his popular legal thrillers. His books have been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide.

"And it's just for one year. Let's take a break."
Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip all the traditional Christmas activities and take a ten day Caribbean cruise. Their daughter leaves the Sunday after Thanksgiving for a year-long stint in a Peruvian village as a Peace Corp volunteer. Christmas will not be the same without Blair, so the Kranks plan to take a break from Christmas decorating, gift giving, parties, etc. and enjoy a much-needed vacation. They will leave at noon on Christmas day.

Unfortunately, the peer pressure from the Krank's neighbors is sometimes hilarious and sometimes downright scary. This upscale suburban neighborhood demands unquestioned conformity. It does not go over very well when Luther Krank refuses to mount a Frosty the Snowman decoration on his roof.
Things really get interesting when the Kranks get a phone call from Blair on Christmas Eve saying she is on her way home with her new fiancé and is expecting a traditional Christmas like the ones she remembers from her childhood.

Will Luther and Nora tell Blair about their plan to skip Christmas and go on a cruise or will they give their daughter the old-fashioned Christmas that she is dreaming about?

My Thoughts
This book has been setting on a shelf in our house for many years. I decided that my husband and I would both read the book and then watch the movie "Christmas with the Kranks." My husband is a huge John Grisham fan and has read all of his legal thrillers, but he never read this book. On the other hand, I am not much of a fiction reader and have only read one Grisham book..."The Firm."

Dean and I read the book last week and then got up early yesterday morning and watched the movie on Amazon Prime. We both got some good laughs from both the book and movie. We could relate with many of the feelings the Kranks expressed about commercialism during the Christmas season. We could also understand the peer pressure from the neighborhood leaders (bullies) when the Kranks refuse to live up to the unspoken expectations and rules that were long-standing and deeply ingrained. 

The real value of this book comes to light at the end of the book. The Kranks have some serious decisions to make. Will they put their vacation plans on hold and go all out to give their daughter the kind of Christmas she is dreaming about? The answer to the question is YES!

However, what will happen to the cruise? It is not possible to get a refund, so will that money be thrown away OR will the real meaning of Christmas shine through all the frivolity? 

This is a light-hearted and humorous Christmas read that will put a smile on your face and remind you of the spirit of generosity and love during the holiday season. The movie is a nice bonus after you read the book.

MY RATING: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I purchased a print copy of this book with my own funds.

Thank you for reading this book review. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below or tweet me @JanetteFuller.

4 Dad Father's Day Card

I hope you all had a happy Father's Day weekend. The Texas weather has been super hot, so I stayed indoors and made this card for my husband.

These are the material I used to make the card;

I started with a blank 5" by 7" kraft cardstock greeting card.

The background cardstock is Granny's Kitchen - Tea Towel/Kitchen Tiles by SEI. I used a paper punch to make the scalloped lower edge.

I used the digital image "4 Dad" (Girl, Straight Hair Version) from Mo's Digital Pencil. I printed the image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic sketch markers. I then cut it out. I attached the image to a piece of off-white cardstock and framed it with kraft cardstock.

I used a Martha Stewart punch to make the kraft cardstock label and placed the "love you" sentiment in the center.

I finished the card with four brads in the corners and a piece of silk yarn.

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Love You Daddy Father's Day Card

Father's Day is this Sunday and I made this card to honor an awesome Dad in our family.

These are the materials I used to make this card:

The base is a blank 5" by 7" kraft greeting card.

I used a piece of cardstock from the Tim Holtz "Crowded Attic" Idea-ology Paper Stash Pad. This paper is a reproduction of an antique French catalog page. I used a paper punch to make the lower edge look like it was removed from a spiral notebook.

I used the digital stamp "Love You Daddy" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I printed the image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic sketch markers. I cut/embossed the image with a Spellbinders die.

I used letter stickers from my stash to write the word "Daddy" across the top of the card. I put a small brad (brushed gold finish) at the top of each sticker.

I finished the card by tying a piece of variegated seam binding on the side of the card.

I am entering this card in "Mo's Challenge #264 - Anything Goes". 

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comment Section below.

Book Review: Dear You, Live! Love, Life by Michael Holbrook

ONE WORD BOOK REVIEW: INSIGHT
  Dear You, Live! Love, Life: Awaking your spirit, overcoming fears & excuses, and living a purposeful, fulfilling life

Author: Michael Holbrook

Publisher: GardiBrook Publishing

Publication Date: April 6, 2015

Print Length: 340 Pages

About the Author
Michael Holbrook is an experienced, insightful, award-winning author who has written professionally since 1981. During this time, his articles, features, and essays have appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers, and professional journals worldwide.

"Expect a Positive and Exciting Life and Commit To it"
This book includes a series of one to two page essays about life and how to live it. Each essay ends with a quotation that complements the text of the essay.

This book provides sound advice on how to survive and thrive in the game of life. Here is one of my favorite quotations;

Make informed decisions, being cognizant that life is pliable. And when you make a significant life choice, sleep well knowing you made the best decision you could with the information you had. Life is a continuous series of decisions, opportunities, challenges, and choices. Remember...contentment can include letting go of the past and looking forward to a magnificent future.

My Thoughts
This is the kind of book you can skip around in and read at your leisure. I read it all the way through and will probably go back to the beginning and start again. The author shows insight and sensitivity as he writes about some of life's most challenging situations.

Each essay is independent and stands on it's own merit. However, the essays come together to create a cohesive unit that presents an organized and impressive volume.

I read this book during the weeks that I was preparing to participate in my sister's bone marrow transplant. I found the words in this book very comforting and some segments seemed to be written directly to me and my situation.

Good common sense mixed with inspiration and insight equals a rewarding reading experience! Highly recommended!

FYI ~ I borrowed this book with my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Handmade "Mummu's Letter" Mothers Day Card

I want to wish everyone a very happy Mothers Day!

I made this card for my mother.

 This is how I made the card:

I started with a blank cardstock card that measures 5" by 7".

The background paper is from "Heritage Post" Bitty Scrap Pad from Provo Craft (a Goodwill find).

I used "Mummu's Letter" from Mo's Digital Pencil as the focus point of the card. I colored the image with Copic Sketch markers. I it out with a Spellbinders die and then framed it with another die cut.

The sentiment sticker at the top of the card is from a Tim Holtz "Small Talk" pad.

I embellished the card with a white paper doily, some cream-colored vintage lace, two cloth roses and a red heart sticker.

I will enter this card in Mo's Challenge #251 "Anything Goes".

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

A Is For....Anniversary Card

Love one another and you will be happy.  It's as simple and as difficult as that.  ~Michael Leunig

An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow.  ~Author Unknown

True love stories never have endings.  ~Richard Bach

You know the older the violin the sweeter the music. ~Curly Putman

I made this handmade card for a special couple who will be celebrating their wedding anniversary this week.

This is how I made the card:


1. I started with a blank kraft cardstock card that measure 5" by 7".

2. I punched the top edge of the card with a Martha Stewart "Loops" paper punch.

3. I chose the background paper from the "Lost & Found" paper pad by My Mind's Eye (2011).

4. I used the Love Birds clear stamp from the "Best Wishes" stamp set from Hero Arts (2013). I stamped the image on a piece of white cardstock and kraft cardstock. I then cut out the white bird bodies and attached them to the kraft cardstock.

5. I cut out the image on the kraft cardstock with a Spellbinders die. I then took a white gel pen and added some faux stitching around the edges.

6. I embellished the card with two stickers (Heart Words #30364) from Splash of Color.

I added a "Love" label that I made with my Dymo label maker.

I am entering this card in the following challenge:
Simon Says Stamp Blog's A is for....Challenge

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.