What I am Reading?

I came across the greatest post about romance novels that really made me laugh yesterday.  It is over on the Supernatural Snark blog and it is all about Fiction vs. Reality and has to do with this lovely someecard.  Love those things!  If you want to read something funny, take a look.

At any given time I am reading no less than two books on my Kindle app on my iPhone.  Right now I am reading Independence (The Significance Series) by Shelly Crane and Avow (Archers of Avalon) by Chelsea Fine.  I am fairly certain this is ruining my vision.   So, I asked Santa for a Kindle for Christmas.  I am pretty sure I will be getting it as I was very good this year.   In my childlike Christmas anticipation phase this week, I have been looking for free ebooks to fill my new Kindle with.  I came across a few of my favorites yesterday that are still free.  I decided I should share the links with you in case you are looking for something new to read.  

I never write book reviews because I AM NOT A WRITER.  I don't feel qualified to review and critique someone who takes the time to commit themselves to writing a book.  I took a creative writing class in college and I absolutely hated having my work critiqued.  Painful!

What I will do is tell people about something I loved reading. What makes me love a book?

 

ROMANCE + HUMOR + ACTION = A GOOD READ

If the writer can manage to make me swoon over the male lead, laugh over the heroine's antics/personality/banter, and can keep me turning the pages on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next to the characters, then that is a good read to me. 

 I came across these books after my post-Twilight slump of ..."well that was EPIC what do I read now?"  I went through a slew of Vampire romance novels and maxed myself out on those.  Below are some of my favorite series that are still in the Paranormal Romance genre but don't center on Vampires.  The first book in these series are all free. 

ADULT:

To Kill A Warlock: The Dulcie O'Neil Series, Book 1 (Paranormal Romance) by H.P. Mallory

What it's about: Fairies & other netherworld creatures


Fire Burn And Cauldron Bubble: The Jolie Wilkins Series, Book 1 (Paranormal Romance) by H.P. Mallory

What it's about: Witches & other netherworld creatures


Eternal Eden (Eden Trilogy, Book One) by Nicole Williams

What it's about:  Immortals


YOUNG ADULT:

  Dirty Blood by Heather Hildenbrand 

What it's about: Werewolves


Madly (Book 1) (Madly Series) by M. Leighton *novella

What it's about: Mermaids

If you are looking for more recommendations on what to read, drop by Maryse's Book Blog.  She has turned me on to dozens of great books and she posts the new releases and freebies once a week. 

It's Your Birthday

I did it!  I made a card!  After work!  On a Tuesday! 

It is shocking, but true.  I was determined to make this happen.  I needed to send my Grandmother a birthday card last minute.  I thought I was going to see her in person on the weekend and would have plenty of time to make the card.  Well after Sandy Hook, she is so sad and she has a cold and she swears it is the end of the world ...so she has banned us from coming to the house this weekend.  *Sigh*  Hopefully this card will cheer her up. 

Stamp: The Greeting Farm- Hats Off Miss Anya, Paper: Kaisercraft Up Up and Away, Accessories: Ribbon , rhinestones, sentiment from stash, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Dusty Concord Marker, Memento Tuxedo Black Ink,

Copics: Skin- E23, E25, E27, E29 Hair- E23, E25, E27, E29, E49 Denim- B91, B95, B97 Clothes- RV00, RV63, RV66, V91, V93, V95, Boots- E31, E33, E34, E35, E37

Nail Stamping!

I am still having creative block on the holiday card front.  I know, I know, not many days until Christmas to get those cards out.  I think I have come up with a concept.  It involves dies and making Christmas trees out of triangles.  If I can pull it off, they should be easy to mass produce and pull together by Thursday to be mailed out in time for Christmas. 

I finally did something creative on Sunday.  Nail Stamping!  You know we stampers love to find any new medium to stamp on, so why not our nails? 

I received my Salon Express (AS SEEN ON TV) nail stamping kit this weekend. They sell them at CVS for $9.99.   I picked up some chrome nail polish that I thought might work well when I was at CVS.  I decided to try Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polish in Shoot The Moon.    The stamping process was fairly easy.  I really like it and can't wait to experiment with it.

After I did my regular gel manicure including top coat I just did the following:

1) Apply Shoot the Moon to the stamping plate image.  ( I chose a zebra print pattern.)

2) Scrape excess polish from the plate using the scraper tool.

3) Press the stamping tool onto the image to pick up the polish design

4) Roll the design onto the nail

5) Let dry ( Shoot the Moon dried instantly.)

6) Apply Gel Top Coat and Cure

7) Clean the scraper and plate with alcohol or nail polish remover with a cotton pad or Qtips

8) Repeat steps for each additional nail

My experience is that you get better results with having the polish stick to the stamper when you file the stamper gently with a nail file.  I think it is the same concept as rubbing a new rubber stamp with an eraser to get the ink to stick better.

Fellow papercrafter Kristina (as in kwernerdesign)  has a great video here on how to do it.  Some of her manis or truly fab!

Pictured-  Sephora by OPI Gelshine Leotard Optional, Red Carpet Manicure Brilliance Top Coat, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Shoot The Moon

New Copic Blending Sets...more options for choosing Copic Color Combinations.

Have you seen the news over on the Copic Marker site?  They just released new copic blending sets in 3's!

Copic has taken the guess work out of choosing colors with their new Color Fusion and Blending Trio Sets.

It looks like there are 6 Color Fusion and 7 Blending Trio sets. 

This is the information from the Copic Marker site-

Color Fusion Sets- are an affordable way to achieve perfect blends.  The set contains three preselected colors in an ideal belnding group.

Color Fusion Set 1: V20-S, V22-S, V25-S

Color Fusion Set 2:  RV000-S, RV52-S, RV55-S

Color Fusion Set 3: E04-S, R56-S, R59-S

Color Fusion Set 4: YR20-S, YR23-S, YR27-S

Color Fusion Set 5: G40-S, G43-S, G46-S

Color Fusion Set 6: B01-S, B04-S, B06-S

Blending Trio Sets- great for starting or extending your collection.  Combinations selected to deliver perfect blends every time!

Blending Trio Set 1: G40-S, G94-S, G99-S

Blending Trio Set 2: B12-S, B14-S, B18-S

Blending Trio Set 3: RV63-S, RV66-S, RV69-S

Blending Trio Set 4: R12-S, R14-S, R17-S

Blending Trio Set 5: Y00-S, Y13-S, Y18-S

Blending Trio Set 6: E95-S, E97-S, E99-S

Blending Trio Set 7: E70-S, E74-S, E79-S

The Copic Marker site is selling the sets for $20.97 each.  That is the MSRP of $6.99 a marker. Ouch!  Maybe you can ask Santa to stick some of these in your stocking!

It's been a while...

It's been a while since I have posted.  So sorry for being gone for so long.  Hurricane Sandy really took its toll out here on the east coast.  It made things very difficult for a while for me getting to work and servicing my customer base who couldn't return to their offices in lower manhattan.  I am happy to say that everything is back to normal for me.  The "Zombie Apocolypse" effect that occurred the first two weeks after all of the devastation is over.   There have been so many effected and my heart goes out to everyone who lost their homes, possessions, jobs and even loved ones.  I am hoping to be able to go to Jon Bon Jovi's benefit concert 12-12-12 where all of the proceeds are being donated to Sandy victims.

I made this card while the power was out for a week.  I am hoping now that things are back to normal, I will be able to get back to my crafting.  

(Stamp: The Greeting Farm's Sweet Treats Anya, Paper Stickers and Washi Tape: Teresa Collins Tell Your Story, Copics)

In the meantime I have been having a ball with one of my newest hobbies... DIY Soak Off Gel Manicures.  I got the Sensationail Starter Kit that includes the LED lamp from drugstore.com (on sale till Monday $34.99).  

I am in love with Soak Off Gel.  It cures under the LED light in under a minute and then it is dry! No more painting your nails and then waiting hours for them to dry.  Plus the manicure lasts 1-2 weeks with out chipping and flaking off.  

I have been changing my polish every week because I like playing with the colors and trying to do different effects.  The soak off process takes some getting used to but I think I have gotten the hang of it.  With Hands Down nail wraps (they look like bandaids) and a little heat.  You soak for 10-20 minutes and then just push the softened gel right off your nail.  

When I did my first soak off gel manicure my nails were short and bitten down to the quick.  Below is have much they have grown in just 8 weeks.  I have been mixing and matching colors from other brands: Gelish, Red Carpet Manicure, Mally Beauty, and IBD too. It all works with the Sensationail LED lamp.  

(Top: Sensationail French Manicure Sheer Pink Kit + Red Carpet Manicure White Hot,  Bottom:  Sensationail Mauve Maven)

My Christmas shopping is done and now I need to start wrapping everything.  Now I need to get the Christmas cards done!