New from the Nightstand – January Edition

I have quite an eclectic mix of books to share today.  I actually allowed myself the pleasure of devouring a few fiction selections in the last few weeks, and devoured they were! 🙂  I also discovered a new non-fiction favourite and attempted some projects from a crochet book. 

I told you I would come back to this.  The author describes the Renaissance Soul as a person who is multi-passionate.  The kind of person who loves change, variety, and moving in new and different directions all the time.  (She had me from the title – I know who I am!)  I absolutely love this book!  It has been instrumental in helping me to find focus, weigh priorities, deal with my want to do everything and all at once, and with more than a little help from Michelle Ward, is helping me to design a life and business that fits my dreams and personality.  A must read for anyone who struggles with balancing diverse interests and passions.

Ok…I know I’m a little late in picking this one up.  (After all, the book was released years ago and the movie hype has long died down.)  But I’ve never been one to do something when everyone else is anyway….(hmm…or at least not since I left high school…)  I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I have not seen the movie, so was not tainted by visions of actors dancing in my head.  This book takes you an a journey, lets you spend a year in the life of the author, and allows you to meet a host of wonderful people in the process.  It’s not a high-action, can’t-wait-to-see-what-happens-next page- turner, but it’s honest, engaging, and satisfying.  I will definitely be seeking out more from this author!

This was a book that I loved, until I actually started trying to make one of the projects in it.  I love all of the full-colour photos, the wide range of projects, the fun and casual writing style.  Where I ran into problems was in trying to follow the patterns.  And perhaps I just happened to pick the project with the most errors, but errors there are.  Enough errors to fill two pages on the errata link (although I believe these have been corrected in the 2nd edition), and then I discovered some that were not on the errata list at all!   Although I gained a lot of crochet practice and was really proud of myself for not only finding the errors, but figuring out how to fix them (After all, I’m no expert crocheter)  in the end, it just seemed like too much work and time when there were other projects I wanted to tackle, and I gave up on the book. 

This was a fun read!  Especially if you are a fan of food tv (which I am!)  The characters are interesting, the story enjoyable, and I was happy with the ending.  It’s one of those books that makes you smile and then you pass it on to a friend so they can smile too (which is how I ended up with my copy, which I then passed on to my mom!) 

What books are on your nightstand?  Please share your favourites in the comments – you can never have too many books to read!

Read Full Post »

News From the Nightstand: Fabulous Fiction

Summer days are upon us, and although I am still up to my knees in non-fiction titles to read, I also like to take some time for fiction reading.   When I was a kid, summer was the time I would get to go to the library, take out a huge stack of books, spend a whole week reading, and then head back for more.  I still like to take huge stacks of books from the library, but I don’t read through them quite as fast as those carefree summers when I had nothing else to do. 

One of the problems I have with great fiction books is that I have a really hard time putting them down once I get started.  This means that many things are left undone, or I am up to the wee hours of the morning, trying to keep my eyelids open so I can find out what happens next!   My summer hours are much more relaxed, and a perfect time to get engrossed in a book. 

Here are some of my current favourites:

Jerk, California  by Jonathan Friesen 

This book was such a great read!  I tore through it in 2 days.  I actually read this book in April, during a community event where everyone in the town where I work reads the same book, and then the author comes for a series of book related events at the end of the month.  We were lucky enough to have Jonathan Friesen come visit our school, and although I did not get to meet him, the students and teachers who did had nothing but wonderful things to say.   This book was well received by everyone that I spoke to, and I know the local high school students, who were all given a copy of the book to read,  commented on how hard it was to stop reading and were found reading the book in between classes (and sometimes during class….)    It was easy to read, but a compelling story.  I will definitely be checking out more books from this author!   

The Summer Kitchen  by Lisa Wingate

I picked this book up at our local library sale.  I don’t often buy fiction books (because I’ll be the first to admit that I’m picky about what I read) but this one caught my attention as Lisa was compared to Richard Paul Evans, whose books I have really enjoyed.  I am really glad that I took the chance on this one.  This is the kind of book where you become attached to the characters and become as interested in their welfare as if they were flesh and blood.   And although it would never make it into my “top 10 books” list, it was still an enjoyable read and I will definitely be looking for more from this author as well. 

Teach With Your Heart by Erin Gruwell

Here is a book that just might make it onto my top ten list.  And I apologize, because it actually isn’t fiction.  Having never seen the movie and with only a vague idea of the story behind the Freedom Writers, I became totally engrossed in this book from page one.  I read it on a recent airplane flight, and I must say it seemed like one of the fastest flights I have ever been on (and half the book seemed to just disappear over that time.)   I know it speaks to me because I am a teacher, and I have a huge respect for the time and dedication Erin puts into her class.  But above all, she is also a wonderful storyteller, and once again you get sucked into the book and forget that a world exists around you.  I appreciate the candidness and the truthfulness in what she writes, and am both inspired and humbled by her story.  What a great responsibility we have as teachers.

Now it’s your turn.  What are you currently reading?

Read Full Post »

News from the Nightstand

A good book should leave you… slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it. ~William Styron, interview, Writers at Work, 1958

As my life seems to be getting busier and busier I am finding it even more important than usual to carve time out of my day to read.  Living vicariously through the lives of others gives me a wee break from my own thoughts and worries and tops up my tired brain with new insights and ideas.  Here are a few I have been pondering over the last month or so.

Better Off  byEric Brende.  I loved this book.  Probably because sometime in my early twenties I decided that I was born in the wrong century and really wished I could spend my life on the ‘ol homestead.  At its core, that is not really what this book is about, but it is what got me hooked.  The author takes his brand new wife on an 18-month adventure  living in a rural community without electricity or electrically controlled mechanics of any kind.  He explores what it really means to be “self-sufficient” and how “work” can become something that doesn’t feel like “work” at all.  He tries to answer the question “Is there such a thing as too much technology?” and what he discovers resonated with me.  (But I still love my computer.)

Thunder and Lightening by Natalie Goldberg.  Having devoured Natalie’s earlier books Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind several years ago, this one came as a bit of a shock.  There is a hardness, a sadness, to Natalie’s voice that certainly did not appear in her earlier works.  But there is a deepness there too.  In some way I believe (at least in my mind) that she has moved from encouraging teacher to wise writing mentor, and although I miss the upbeat positivity I remember from her earlier works, there is the truth of “Real Life” that resonates through this book that I can’t ignore.  In its serious and sincerity, I am reminded that there is a lot of work I still need to do. 

29 Gifts in 29 Days by Cami Walker.   I am not sure how this book came to be on my reading list.  I think it was one of those Amazon “If you liked this book, you might enjoy this one” (which I always take to mean…if you liked this book, see if the library has that one…)  or perhaps it was a suggestion I read on someone’s blog post?    Regardless, it got moved way up on my reading list for the sole reason that the library, indeed, had a copy and it was available right away. 

In this autobiographical work, the author shares how she moved past her struggles with MS by cultivating a giving attitude in giving 29 gifts in 29 days.  The spirituality in this book is definitely not my own, and the foul language that appears in parts of this book grates on me,  yet there is something compelling about this story.   I think there is truth to her words in how focusing on giving to others changes who we are and what we believe about ourselves and our lives.  I love that most of the gifts are not monetary, but gifts of time, compassion, a listening ear.   Her idea obviously resonates with many as it has grown into a worldwide movement of giving documented at 29gifts.org.

What about you?  What books have you read recently?

Read Full Post »

What Would You Like to See Here? (and a giveaway!)

When I started this blog, a year and a half and 250 posts ago, I was writing mostly for me.  I had been a writer once, walking around with ink-stained fingers, beginning my days with pen and paper in hand, watching life go by and turning what I saw and felt into stories and poetry.  And then I launched into the “working world”  and let 8 years go by only exercising my skills when writing progress reports, newsletters, and summer camp brochures (but they were superbly well-written brochures, rest assured!) 🙂 

So I started this blog to have a reason to write every day (or at least a few times a week.)  I approached these pages when I felt like it, and posted whatever happened to be on my mind (or on my camera) at the time. 

But then I started to get to know all of you.  I am still awed, amazed and incredibly thankful for all of you who come here to read these words I put down.  You are true blessings in my life and I find more and more that as I write, I think of you.  “What would she like to hear about?”  “I wonder if they know about this?”

And I wonder too, about those of you who drop in but never say a word.  You are mysteries to me in that I know nothing about you, but I wonder about you too.   I wonder what you like to read about, and what you come here looking for.

I am starting to become more intentional about this little blog of mine.  And I have big dreams for the future, what I might like it to become.

But I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.

And so, I am asking for your help.  Would you be honest with me? 

• What would you like to see on this blog? 
• What do you wish I wrote more about? 
• What do you wish I wrote less about? 
• What kind of posts are your favourites? 
• Any wild and crazy ideas for me for future posts?  (or simple and mundane ideas, I’ll take those too!) 
• If I did some kind of sew-along/quilt-along/cook-along/garden-along would you be interested in participating? 
• Any wishes I can grant? (as in “I really wish there was a blog that talked about…”  or “I wish there was a tutorial for…”  or “I wish Andi would teach me how to….”)  I won’t promise I can grant them, but I’d love to hear them!

 I really and truly want to know what you think.  And don’t feel you have to answer all of the questions, and if you have something else to say, feel free to add that too! 

And just as a thank-you, anyone who comments on this post will be entered to win something handmade by me.  I’m not sure what it is yet, but I promise it will be something nice (maybe something from the shop, or something custom-made just for you?)  I’ll announce the winner April 2nd, but feel free to leave a comment here even after that date. 

Thanks for your help!

Read Full Post »

And The Winner Is….. (and some must-read books!)

I am a little sad that the giveaway is over.  I have so enjoyed reading all of your comments and can’t wait to dive into some new books!  Thanks for all of the great recommendations.  If I had all the time in the world I would love to email each and every one of you just to talk about books!   If any of you are looking for some new reading material for you or your kids, I encourage you to take a look through the comments.  At some point I may make a comprehensive list of the most-recommended books for anyone who might be interested, but for now, I’ll just mention a few that stand out:

Harry Potter – I love them too!  I am currently reading the first in the series out loud to my students and they are loving it!  

Material Obsession came up again and again as a favourite sewing book.  I have yet to read this one but it sounds like I need to add it to the list!

 Karen Kingsbury was mentioned several times.  I have not read any of her books but know many who do. 

The Red Tent is a book I would also recommend to others. 

Like Water for Elephants, Book of Negroes, and the Time Traveller’s Wife are all books that have been recommended to me before and your thoughts echoed what I had already heard. 

 You can’t go wrong with the classics – Lord of the Rings, Little House on the Prairie, the Narnia Series, and Anne of Green Gables are all books I have enjoyed both in childhood and adulthood and they came up over and over again in your recommendations.  For adult reading Pride and Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird were mentioned often. 

There are many, many, more but I know what you are really waiting for is to find out who the winner is, so without further ado…..

The winner is … Janet!  She wrote: My favourite book of all is called Oh Rugged Land of Gold. It is the tale of a woman’s survival in the Alaskan wilderness and is very inspirational for any woman. Thanks for a chance at your giveaway.

Congratulations Janet, and thanks to all of you for stopping by!

Read Full Post »

Pete the Cat – It’s all Good

One of my favourite things about being a teacher is all of the great children’s literature I get to read.  I love reading out loud to my students and especially enjoy seeing them fall in love with a book that I love too.  I have a pile of best-loved books for each grade level I have taught (everything from preschool to Grade 5) and love discovering new titles. 

Many books are best for certain age groups, but once in a while a book comes along that seems to have wide-range appeal, a book that is enjoyed by children of all ages, and speaks to them all in different ways (including the adults!)

Pete the Cat is one of those books.  It is a simple story, but with lots of fun repetition, engaging illustrations and a great message. 

Pete the Cat has a pair of brand new white shoes.  He loves them so much that he walks around singing a song about them.  But as he is walking he accidentally steps into some bright red strawberries.  His brand new white shoes aren’t white anymore, they’re red!  But does Pete cry?  Not him!  He just accepts the change and makes a new song.  “I love my red shoes……” 

Young kids will just enjoy the musicality of the book – especially if you also listen to the author telling the story himself!   But for my seven and eight-year olds it was also a great lesson in having a positive attitude in the face of small challenges and disappointments (like not getting the tidy-up job they wanted, or the colour paper they were hoping for, or having to switch to outdoor shoes yet again)   This book was read over and over (and over!) again in my classroom and it is not uncommon to hear my students walking down the hall or cleaning the classroom singing their song…..”I love to sweep the floor….” or “I love my outdoor shoes…..”

As an adult it reminds me that although I cannot control what challenges and disappointments will come my way during the course of a day, I can control how I react to them.  I want to choose to just keep on going while singing my song a lot more often.  It’s a much happier way to live. 

Don’t you love it when you are teaching something to others, and you learn the lesson too?

Read Full Post »

Currently on the night stand…

I always seem to be reading 5 or 6 books at a time and have a habit of taking books out of the library a little faster than I can read them (especially this time of year!) 

Although I do love fiction (especially if it was written for the younger crowd – most of my favourites are children’s literature, it’s a job hazard I think) most of what I read would fall into the non-fiction category.

Here’s a sneak peek of what is on my night-stand (or, rather, on my nightstand, on the floor by my bed, resting on my favourite chair, sitting on the kitchen table…you get the idea)  🙂

Although I have moved past parts of this book (essential sewing equipment, measuring, using a commercial pattern) I love all of the step-by-step diagrams for making simple pattern alterations and am really excited about the chapter on making your own patterns.  The full-colour pictures and diagrams really help in understanding the process – I might just need to purchase this book (because although I keep renewing it, I think the library might want their copy back at some day….)

 

This book, although older and not in colour, has really changed my understanding of patterns.  I am only partway through and already feel like a more confident sewer.  I am no longer afraid of darts!!  I am pretty sure I could now tackle moving, removing and designing darts of my own – which is a huge step for this direction-following, the-pattern-designers-made-it-that-way-so-it-must-be-right sewer!

I took this book out of the library because I wanted to improve my food photography.  Tom Ang thoroughly covers EVERY kind of photography in this book, except for food. 😦   On the bright side, it has encouraged me to play more with my camera and has definitely given me some ideas for improving some of my other photographs.  Anyone know where I can learn to take a good food photo?

 

 

 

I feel like I have read a tonne of these craft business type books but it has been nice to see where the authors agree and disagree.  I do appreciate that Meg touches on internet use both for marketing and sales and love the vignettes of successful crafters – will I be included in their number one day?

 Outliers is still my favourite Malcolm Gladwell book, but I always enjoy how he looks at things from different angles and really makes you think about everyday things in a new way.  “The Ketchup Conundrum” and “John Rock’s Error” are two of my favourite chapters in this book so far.

Ok…so I’m not really planning on making a six-figure income from this blog (I think I have enough jobs!) but I was hoping to find some tips on being a better blogger, (if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well, right?) and I was not disappointed.  Lots of great tips and ideas here.

This book is full of yummy-looking bread recipes.  I loved the corn bread recipe and cornmeal crackers are next on my list of things to make.  This is another book I could happily withhold from the library for another few months!

 And that’s it!  (Well…there are the two I just picked up from the library, and the three that  I haven’t started yet, but we won’t count those just yet….)  Just a few to peruse in those minutes before I drift off to sleep…

What’s on your night stand?  Any recommendations for my next library trip?

Read Full Post »

Surrounded by Books

It has been a whirlwind of a week-end here.  I spent all day Friday and Saturday at a teaching conference – sitting and listening (oh, it is so hard for me to sit all day!)  Then it was the annual library book sale on Friday night (an event NOT to be missed!) a birthday party for a special young lady on Saturday night (and scrapbooking after – yeah!) and a lovely day spent with my mother-in-law on Sunday.  After fighting with insomnia last night (despite being exhausted – how does THAT happen?) I am ready to head to bed and curl up with a good book.

And right now I have a large selection of books from which to choose.  I am somewhat of an eclectic reader as I enjoy reading many different kinds of books, and am probably one of the few people who actually considers cookbooks to be reading material and not just references (I read mine cover to cover.)  Currently I have this eclectic mix on my nightstand:

I still remember reading “The Shadow on Hawthorn Bay” by Janet Lunn when I was 11 so I couldn’t resist buying another of her books when I saw it at the library sale.  (and when books are only 50 cents and they support one of your favourite places on earth, what did you have to lose?)

Here are my other library sale finds:  I am especially excited about reading “don’t name the ducks” especially since I am the kind of person who probably WOULD name the ducks…. 

And then I found some books for my classroom.

Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Hundred Dresses are must-have classics.   I loved Natalie Babbitt’s “Tuck Everlasting” and so far am also enjoying “The Search for Delicious” (I read half of it last night when I couldn’t sleep.  Children’s literature makes for good night-time reading…)

Not bad for an hour spent at a book sale, and this would probably be enough to keep me going for a while, but it seems this was meant to be a book week-end for me because I LOVED the presenters I saw at Saturday’s conference so much that I felt compelled to buy both of their books!

It really was worth sitting all day.  I am so excited about reading these and applying everything I learned!

  But they will have to wait awhile because I found these in the mail today.

Don’t you just love getting parcels in the mail?  I do!  Especially when they contain…..

more books!  This has to be one of the best perks of having my teaching certification.   I get full use of the big education library in Toronto, I can choose any books I want and they mail them to me for free AND pay the return postage.  Oh the books I can read!!    But as they do have to be returned these titles are now the top “to read” books on my list. 

I live in a house surrounded by books.

They are on the shelves, they are on the floor, they cover the tables (and couches and chairs) and are in bags by the door!

They entice me with their covers, just waiting to be read, so I’m off to put my feet up, and read them all in bed!

What are YOU reading right now?

Read Full Post »

Earth Day Books

I am a guest poster on Playing by the Book today as part of their “Fantastic Fiction for Kids” series.   In honour of Earth Day (tomorrow) I share a selection of my favourite environmental education stories.  Check out my post, and then be sure to check out some of Zoe’s other posts for reviews of some great children’s books and  creative and inspiring activities for kids.

Read Full Post »

Fantastic Fiction for Kids

I am the “Fantastic Fiction For Kids” contributor on Playing by the Book today!  Hop on over to check out my recommendations for books on the sewing/quilting theme.  While you are there you may want to check out some of Zoe’s other posts – she has wonderful book reviews and is always doing something fun and creative with her kids.

Read Full Post »