Valentines Day Sneak Peak - Treasury Thursday

'VALENTINES DAY SNEAK PEAK!!!!' by minniecat56

Here are sixteen great items for all of us ROMANTIC people out there!!

Donation to Sandy relie... judeMcConkeyPh... $10.00	Yes, I love you, Valent... Made4uByMagic $75.00	Red Glass Rose, Long St... BlowHardGlass $54.00
I Heart You / Valentine... parchmentcooki... $40.00	Falling In Love In Pari... TheDarkAtHeart $62.00	Valentines Day - Vintag... postcardsfromt... $4.00
red heart earrings - he... strawberryuniv... $6.00	Victoria's Secret R... originalrose $99.00	Valentine's Day Fab... AntiquesandVar... $8.60
Best Friends card, Vale... Jahnavashti $4.00	School Sweethearts - PR... tanyabond $12.00	AAA rhinestone heart fe... dollarjewelry $9.99
Vintage Valentine's... nikylee $26.00	Hot Pink Felt Rose Hear... OliveCrafting $50.00	scrap scarf with extra ... tessacotton $40.00
Amazing Natural Grape A... NYCJewelrydesi... $90.00

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The Casual Vacancy - 52 Books in 52 Weeks

2013 Reading Challenge

Tessa has read 5 books toward her goal of 52 books.

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5 of 52 (9%)

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Thanks for tuning into another post about my attempt to read 52 books in 2013. You can follow along with my progress (and start a challenge of your own!) on goodreads. 

I was really trepidatious about reading this one. I grew up absolutely adoring the Harry Potter series and thinking J.K. Rowling was the bee's knees. When I heard she was releasing a new novel for adults I was excited, and when nobody I knew enjoyed reading it, I was less excited. Finally, one night while I was babysitting I started reading it. When the mom of the kids I was keeping got home, she said I could go ahead and borrow it, because she never got past the first 100 pages.

And I can totally see why. The book begins very slowly and keeps a trudging pace for about the first 3rd of the 500 page novel. It's a lot of character development, and honestly, not much happens. I'm not one to wimp out on a book, so I persevered. I wasn't hating it by any means, but I do understand the (many) people I know who gave up partway through.

Once the book got going, though, I really loved it. The tedious beginning truly paid off in the beautiful ease in which Rowling writes her characters. Her characterization is something I always loved about Harry Potter, and it impressed me how those skills transferred to 'real life' situations. Some criticized the book for being too gratuitous in the use of violence, sex, and language - possibly in an attempt by Rowling to break away from the children's fantasy genre that made her famous. However I think she simply attempted to paint a truthful portrait of a small town and the secrets within - and I think she did so successfully.

Yeah, it's not for children. And it's not for those who are offended or opposed to reading something that's frequently R-rated. But I think Rowling handles these tough topics very tastefully. If you're looking for something fast-paced, thrilling, or upbeat - this is not the book for you. If, however, you want to read an honest, clever, and vaguely tragic story with flawlessly written characters, maybe give it a try.

4/5 stars.

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Time to Wear - Treasury Thursday

'Time to Wear Cute Helmets and Scarfs :)' by zerrinalgan

Baby Girl Winter Hat A... OffTheHookHats $42.00	Knight Helmet Winter Ha... MyFavoriteHook... $20.00	Ear Flap Hat Hand Knit ... Textilesone $40.00
Crocheted Thor Hat Helm... AngryDustBunni... $33.00	Anthony's Crazy Mon... SnowflakeHoops $129.00	Crochet Hat-Helmet-Cap ... ZiroSUN $37.00
Hand Knit Hat Womens Ha... pixiebell $40.00	10-24 months - White HA... petitknit $22.75	Ikat Winter Scarf - Ika... Liquidshiva $36.00
Custom Knitted Scarf - ... UpNorthKnits $48.00	Oversized cowl, infinit... Susietoos $48.00	Rainbow Cowl neck shawl... BessetteArt $46.00
The Favorite Mens Cowl ... BessetteArt $39.00	Purple Infinity Scarf C... tessacotton $37.00	Brown Knit Scarf, Keyho... beadedwire $30.00
BLACK Bow Scarf Women&... ThreeBirdNest $28.00

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Copy Cat Closet - Winter Shorts

So here's my first try at participating in the Copy Cat Closet link up! This weeks challenge was to incorporate a summer staple (this time, shorts) into a winter outfit. I had a cardigan and scarf all ready to go, but we're having a really mild winter here in Mississippi, so it was just too hot! 

I stuck with a green and grey color scheme. High-waisted shorts are about the only kind I feel comfortable wearing, regardless of the season. I really like how they look with a longer-sleeved top. 

 Shirt and Boots - Old Navy
Shorts and Belt - Thrift Store
Tights - DSW
Bracelets - Claires
Nail Polish - Sally Hansen 'Fairy Teal'

Be sure to check out http://manouvellemode.com/ for the rest of the participants' awesome outfits. Thanks to my sweet roommate Ginny for taking these pics!

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Wall Pockets - How Tuesday

This project started as a pair of pants. They were a really cute pair of green corduroys that I had found on clearance for $3, back in my mall shopping days. As three dollar pairs of pants are wont to do, they didn't last very long. The knees wore out and the pocket seams started splitting. I held onto them as long as I could, but they needed a new purpose. 

I had found these wooden embroidery hoops at a flea market for $1 apiece. I also picked up several vintage handkerchiefs that were in a similar color scheme.

The only sewing involved was creating the small pocket on the middle hoop. The other two pockets were made by layering fabric over the handkerchiefs.

Our walls are kind of janky, and sticky tac won't work on their textured surface. My roommate Gin had  the idea to hang the wall pockets from a picture hook. It's attached to our top molding, and the individual hoops are attached by ribbon.

There you have it! A simple, inexpensive craft that can use up extra fabric scraps and match your decor easily. I'd love to see how this looks with different shaped hoops, or what you might use the pockets for storing and displaying.


Be sure to check out my Valentines day linky party, live now!

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Inspirational Words on MLK Day

I love Pinterest! I was browsing today and so many of these beautiful quotes caught my eye. On a day where we remember a man who changed our Nation for the better and brought a new hope to countless people, I trust that these words will lighten your heart and inspire you, as they did me: 

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