So what have I been reading....what have I been doing.

I started (but had to return to the library) Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs.  

Of course... of course of course.... I had to return it right as it started to get good.  Ok I am lying it was really good from the about say 10th page for me.  BUT right as it was getting very particularly and typically great my library loan ran out.... BUT I put myself back on the list and will finish the last half of the book probably in about three days when my husband finishes his library check out of the ebook and lets me read it on his kindle ipad situation.  I love these little characters and their worlds so much... and then hello y'all... lookie----> the movie trailer for the Tim Burton directed film is available!

Ok here is the trailer in all it's colorful (only as Tim Burton can) glory:

And if you have read the books (and especially the third one with the origin of the hollows watch the trailer since I was never able to actually picture the situations).  I think it's going to be a fantastic film... I hope that there is not a lot of merchandising that goes along with it as sometimes it tends to do with Tim Burton films.  At least this isn't a disneyfied version from what I can see.

I just started The Care and Feeding of Exotic Pets by Diana Wagman. 

 I chose this book especially because and I am 100% serious here... I liked the smile of her author photo that I saw on a web page.  It's this one.   Seriously doesn't she just look like a super nice lady whose books you want to read.  Well for me at least.

Then I went to her web page and saw this statement:

"MY SOAPBOX

If you're going to spend the money to buy a book, please buy one from a new or new to you author. 

Get your best sellers from the library. Jonathan Franzen does not need your money, but I (and authors like me) do!

Thank you."

We kinda sorta follow this motto and I kinda sorta agree with it... buy a book you love and want and it shouldn't matter who the author is... but I am going to say this honestly and truthfully... I totally have no shame in buying a book ... I like the paper in my hand, I like the option to keep it or share it.  So I do follow this motto. But what I really really like is her honesty and bravery to put it out there.... 

So... I am about 25 pages into it and its very exciting.  I am really really digging it.  I was looking for something that would be as exciting as the book that I had to return (see above of course) and literally looked at some books and turned to the back and looked at the author pictures... this one stuck and here we go. 

I look forward to a fun ride with this one.

Another book that I have in progress is Delta Flat by Dixon Hearne

This book is  a series of short stories so I don't feel guilty not absorbing the book in one fail swoop.  Each one of these characters is so sad but I imagine triumphent in their own existences.  What is written about is a side of the South that I do not know.  So it's really really amazing.  The author's gritty language and dare I say dialect brings me right into the middle of every scene. 

So I want to savor each story and I am definately taking my time with this book.  I think I am reading maybe a story/chapter a week. And it's a great way to get through it.  

Slow and steady.  

Another thing that I have enjoyed in the last several months is card making.

So one of the kick ass gals that I do this with bought a Sillhouette Cameo . What is amazing about this machine is all that it can do. I think we have only scratched the surface.  So because she showed us just one little bit of what it can do, I decided to take the plunge and buy one too.  I have only tried two projects... one was for a card for my friend as a thank you and the other was just to try using a template and design from the store.  Seriously.... this little machine is amazeballs.  I have about 50 projects in my head that I want to do and of course no time to sit down and plan them out... but I will get there.

  

those are just three quickie little projects that I had worked on before I did buy the machine... imagine how easy it will be to make all these projects in the future.  Sure I will keep all my die cuts that I have now... but I will be able to quickly cut out some things that would take me forever to do one at a time.  

It's a whole new world for me.

So I have a list of cards that I have to make this weekend... lets see if I can get my act together and get it planned out and lets just say at least started!