Thursday, June 27, 2024

Review: Conscious Crafts: Quilting 20 Mindful Makes to Reconnect Head, Heart & Hands by Elli Beaven


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

In Conscious Crafts: Quilting, maker Elli Beaven reveals the meditative nature of the quilting process and its empowering skill set for creating, mending and mindfulness.

Making is mindfulness made practical, and quilting is a renowned and rewarding craft. Drawing on the traditions of hand quilting, Elli has created 20 modern makes, ranging from simple coasters, bags and cushions to quilts and curtains. She shares the basic techniques of quilting and shows how these can be adapted and developed for different projects, as well as mending and repurposing.

Clean photography, contemporary illustration and heart-affirming text are neatly sewn together to celebrate handwork and the act of crafting for a sustainable future.

The projects: patchwork coasters; strip trivets; needle book; storage basket; patched pencil case; slow stitch bag; rainbow cross body bag; clamshell beach bag; coaster and waste not cushions; wild fan, border, log cabin, butterfly play and ad astra quilts; arrow wall hanging; patchwork curtain; and mending under and over patching.

Packed with inspiring ideas and practical guidance, Conscious Crafts: Quilting gives you the skills to get started with this fulfilling craft, and shows how the quilting process and the satisfaction of creating your own unique makes can benefit your well-being.

The Conscious Crafts series places mindfulness and well-being at the heart of making. Picking out proven meditative crafts and bespoke authors, these practical, contemporary guides are an inviting introduction to reconnecting head, heart, and hands.

My Review

I'm not an experienced quilter, though I have played around with it a bit over the years. This book is wonderful for both beginners and experienced quilters. It brings mindfulness into the process, allowing for creativity and flow. I appreciated the section on useful techniques in the beginning of the book and learned some great information. I especially look forward to using the baptist fan stitch. The projects are not just for blankets- they cover a variety of home goods and bags as well. Can anyone ever have too many zippered pouches? There is also a balance between machine stitching and hand stitching across the pages. Hand stitching is perfect for mindfulness, embracing the use of our fingers to manipulate the materials and create. This book is perfect for sewers, quilters, crafters, and artists- especially those with a fabric stash of small pieces to use up!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Review: Highcliffe House by Megan Walker


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



About the Book

Love ignites when two rivals vie to secure a possible fortune at the seaside town of Brighton.

Brighton, England, 1813

When a romantic entanglement leaves her humiliated and reeling, Anna Lane wants nothing more than for her father to whisk her away from the gossip of the ton. Unfortunately, he has obligations elsewhere, leaving her stuck in London.

Graham Everett’s financial security depends on an investment with Mr. Lane, his long-time friend and business partner. He’ll do just about anything to secure it for his family, even if it means fighting spoiled, embittered Anna for her father’s attention.

Luckily, Mr. Lane concocts a plan that will give everyone what they want, with one stipulation: Anna must accompany Graham to Brighton in her father’s stead and make a decision to invest—or not—based on a thorough report.

But it will take more than a day at the beach for these two headstrong hearts to admit that they’ve been wrong about each other. If they are willing to invest a little time working out their differences, they might have a chance at real love.


My Review

The cover of this book is so serene, I was not prepared for the tumultuous dynamics at play between Anna and Graham! There are reasons they begin as enemies, and I was happy to see the character growth as they overcome those complications and learn to develop confidence and grasp happiness in spite of their circumstances. It takes time for Anna and Graham to release their prejudices and come to know each other under the layers of self-preservation, and discover the attraction and esteem they share. Removing to a different location is pivotal in their process, as it takes Anna out of her comfort zone and allows her to observe Graham in his home setting. Graham's family was lovely and I enjoyed the different personalities of his sisters. His backstory reminds me a bit of Mr. Thorton in North & South- a man who has pulled himself and his family out of poverty and into affluence, yet subject to the whims of investments and the inherent risks. There is much to admire in him and his work ethic, yet Anna helps him to see that love and family are truly important. Anna craves attention from her loving father to feel secure in her world, one where a woman's reputation is easily fractured. Graham's influence as well as his family develop her trust in others and opens her vision to a brighter future. I loved the deep feelings and wonderful chemistry in this book!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss these other books by Megan Walker . . .






Review: Embroidery for Everyone: Easy to Learn Techniques with 50 Patterns! by Kelly Fletcher


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

It’s true: anyone can learn the art of hand embroidery! This beginner-friendly guide comes with over 50 embroidery patterns so you can put your new skills to work.

Author Kelly Fletcher brings enthusiasm and joy for the needlecrafts through both traditional techniques and innovation. With easy-to-follow instructions, Embroidery for Everyone guides you through an array of stitching techniques and decoration ideas. 
 
The patterns offer a wide range of subjects to choose from:
- Cute animal patterns
- Boho chic borders and motifs
- Winter snowflakes and snowmen
- Thanksgiving turkey
- Springtime bunnies and flowers 
 
You will learn to embellish clothing, create beautiful needlecraft art with nature and folk images, and make handmade heirloom seasonal decorations.

With a plenitude of patterns to choose from, Embroidery for Everyone includes something for everyone!

My Review

I loved the clean and simple design and composition of the photos and information in this book. The directions are clear and easy to follow, and the patterns are pleasing without being complicated. I especially liked the butterfly, florals, border designs, and monograms. There is a variety of subjects so something will appeal to each reader. The outline patterns for each are included in the back of the book for copying. Instructions for transfer are included in the beginning information, as well as tips for using fabric, thread, and supplies. I love that this is a craft that does not require a pile of equipment! This book is perfect for beginners or artists who enjoy simplicity.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Book Tour & Excerpt: Rocky Mountain Journey by Misty M. Beller







About the Book

Masquerading as a man, Faith Collins embarks on a perilous journey through the untamed wilderness of the Rocky Mountains in search of the Peigan Blackfoot woman who once saved her father's life. She joins a group of trappers who may be able to lead her to the place the woman is hiding, but keeping Faith's identity a secret proves more difficult than she imagined.

Grant Allen is searching for his younger brother, who was separated from him when their parents died many years ago. After receiving word that his brother went west to the Rockies, he unites with a group of trappers, hoping they can lead him to his brother's location. Soon Grant realizes there's a woman hiding among the men, and he's determined to find out who she is, what she's hiding, and how he can keep her safe in this country of wild animals and even wilder men.

In this rousing conclusion to her Sisters of the Rockies series, Misty M. Beller embarks on an adventurous journey where loyalty, love, and sacrifice intertwine amid the unforgiving frontier.


Excerpt from Rocky Mountain Journey

A shiver slid through her, and she glared at Rosie. “I’m beginning to think you don’t care. But I do.” The burn of tears swept in fast. She was going to lose control if she didn’t stop talking. She dropped her voice for the last bit. “I do care. I care about a helpless woman out there alone in the mountains. And I care about Papa. I will accomplish what he asked of us.”

Rosie studied her, brows knit as though she didn’t understand why Faith was so upset. She reached out and touched Faith’s arm, and it took everything within her not to jerk away.

“I care, Faithie. We all do. It’s just that we also have to take care of those still with us on this earth. Those who are expecting—” She waved a hand around. “Our family. The ranch. We have responsibilities. Papa would understand that responsibility better than anyone. He would want us to wait for the right time.” Her face softened as her eyes turned distant. “I remember how he used to stay with the horses when they colicked, walking them for hours to help them recover from a twisted gut. He did whatever he had to.”

Pain pressed in Faith’s belly, a twisting that would steal her breath if she let it linger. She had no memory of Papa walking the horses when they colicked. It seemed all the good times had taken place when Faith was too young to remember. She was the baby of the family, so to her Papa had always seemed old—­never young and vibrant—­as far back as she could recall. The stories of his younger days sounded so thrilling.

Rosemary might be right about Papa understanding responsibility, but that only proved Faith’s point all the more. They had a responsibility to find Steps Right and return those beads to her. The necklace had once been an heirloom within her own family, passed down through the generations.

Steps Right had been wearing the string when she discovered their father on the plains, nearly dead. While her sister had gone back to their village to get help, she’d stayed with Papa and nursed him through the night, keeping him alive and awake in the cold by having him tell stories of his wife and daughters. A story for every bead on the necklace.

She’d continued to care for him at her village, then when he recovered enough to rejoin his trapping companion, Steps Right had sent the strand of beads with him as a gift.

And as her papa lay dying, he’d tasked his four daughters—­and her specifically, in that moment between the two of them—­with returning the beads to her so they could be reunited with the Peigan family that had treasured them for generations.

Faith would fulfill that responsibility. Even if she had to do it alone.

Rosemary picked up the basket and turned with a smile. “We’ll find her, Faith. I promise. As soon as we can.” Then she started for the door. “I think Elise and Goes Ahead have arrived. I hear the children outside.”

The family planned to set out tomorrow morning for a short trip to visit nearby villages they’d worked with in the past. Similar to the missionary journeys the apostle Paul had embarked on during Bible days.

How exciting it must be to travel so much. To see more of this vast, breathtaking land and meet its inhabitants. They’d probably seen a host of waterfalls throughout the mountains. They could have even been to the place where Steps Right lived right now.

An idea slipped into Faith’s mind. What if she went with them tomorrow? They’d said this upcoming journey would be shorter than most, likely only a month, before they circled back to the trading post to restock supplies before a longer trip that would last through the winter.

She could accompany them. They planned to start northward, and White Horse had once mentioned a waterfall he knew in that direction. She could at least check that one. And they might even pass others she could search.

Hope rushed into her spirit, and she spun to gather Bertie and head outside. She would have to be convincing, but hopefully her sisters wouldn’t mind her setting off with trusted friends to help share their faith.

It was time she took control of this search and accomplish what Papa had begged of them. Be the daughter he’d believed her to be. Then maybe the pain of losing him would finally start to heal.


From Rocky Mountain Journey © 2024, Misty M. Beller, published by Bethany House


The Sisters of the Rockies series
 
 

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Misty M. Beller (MistyMBeller.com) writes romantic mountain stories set on the 1800s frontier and woven through with the truth of God's love. Her Southern roots run deep, and she lives in South Carolina with her husband and children.

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Review: Live Well Bake Cookies: 75 Classic Cookie Recipes for Every Occasion by Danielle Rye


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

Live Well Bake Cookies shares 75 cookie and bar recipes, including both classic favorites and soon-to-be classic favorites that are guaranteed to be the best you have ever had.

Danielle Rye, the creator of the popular baking blog Live Well Bake Often, believes that anyone can become an expert baker, and in this book she will help you do just that by gently guiding you in the kitchen with foolproof recipes for cookies and treats that come out perfectly portioned and dependably delicious every single time. 
 
Recipes include a range of classic, oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate, holiday, seasonal, and Christmas cookies, including:
- Brownie Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Birds Nest Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- 4th of July Cookie Cups
- S’mores Cookies
- Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
 
Complete with helpful tips and tricks, make-ahead and freezing instructions, small-batch recipes, and a gorgeous photograph accompanying every recipe, this cookbook will truly have you living your best baking life.

My Review

I am such a fan of homemade cookies! I've had my mom's chocolate chip cookie recipe memorized since I was a young teen and I've thrown themed cookie exchange parties with friends annually. Even still, I learned some new things from the sections on ingredients, baking tools, and baking tips. Each recipe is explained well and has a beautiful photo to accompany it. There are many classics, but also so many creative recipes I'm eager to try! Each recipe page also has a "pro baking tip" sidebar that help to elevate the quality of the finished product. Love it and highly recommend!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Review: Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers by Kyehyun Park


My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing



Synopsis

Drawing and painting realistic flowers is achievable! Create a wide variety of blooms and greenery using an easy step-by-step method, then add watercolor for gorgeous effects.

In Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers, discover how to draw flowers such as cosmos, hibiscus, canola, lily of the valley, hydrangea, foxglove, and more from various angles, and learn about perspective and shading. Once you have the skills to draw a single flower, learn how to draw groupings and wreaths. Mix in leaves and smaller flowers to create a variety of looks.

Then, learn simple techniques to add luscious watercolor, using shading, blending, and gradient techniques for eye-catching results.

Popular Instagram artist Kyehyun Park shares her secrets for capturing realistic flower, leaf, and plant shapes. Artists of all levels love drawing and painting nature, and with these techniques they’ll confidently render lifelike botanicals in an array of lovely palettes.

The book also includes: 
- Ideas and techniques for drawing and painting charming potted plants
- Instructions for drawing and painting smaller flowers, buds, and branches
- Watercolor techniques showing how to expertly blend colors, use brush strokes and brush pressure to create various shapes, and how to use color to shade and highlight
- Warm-up exercises that help develop skills
- Simple methods for understanding perspective and composition, making it effortless to draw flowers from different angles 
 
Add these striking florals to sketchbooks, stationery, journals, and more. With Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers, creating true-to-life florals and plants is within your reach!

My Review

I appreciated the three-step drawing process the artist shares and utilizes throughout the book. It helps the artist begin with basic shapes and then add details, creating flowers and plants that are more realistic, yet not overwhelming or intimidating to achieve. I think drawing with accuracy is the most valuable part of this book. I love the variety of flowers and flower-shapes that is represented. The watercolor tips are basic and suitable for beginners. The author is very specific in the steps she takes as she paints, making it easy for the reader to follow directions and learn through experience rather than experimentation.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: I Dream a Dream for You by Bob Hostetler, illustrated by Benedetta Capriotti

I Dream a Dream For You JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for I Dream a Dream for You by Bob Hostetler (illustrated by Benedetta Capriotti) hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

I Dream a Dream for You

Title: I Dream a Dream for You
Author:
Bob Hostetler
Illustrator:
Benedetta Capriotti
Publisher:
Kregel Children's Books
Release Date:
June 18, 2024
Genre: Picture Book

A charming read-aloud bedtime book for toddlers 

With its sweet bedtime rhymes, I Dream a Dream for You resembles the classic title The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. A family of red pandas make their home in the forest. When it's time for bed, Mom and Dad tuck in their three kiddos, and as they all drift to sleep, dreams come to life through the vibrant pictures and story. Parents or grandparents will enjoy reading this sweet bedtime rhyme, filled with dreams and aspirations for their little ones. With amazing, colorful illustrations, this read-to-me story richly shows the love of a faith-filled family with creative, interesting scenes that kids will love to see over and over--and those who read it to them will experience the blessing of God's love, which is meant to be shown and shared with families  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop

 

Excerpt

 



About the Author

Bob Hostetler

Bob Hostetler is an award-winning author, literary agent, and international speaker. His first children's book, Don't Close Your Eyes, and its subsequent success, was a dream come true for him. His fifty other books include the award-winning Don't Check Your Brains at the Door (co-authored with Josh McDowell) and The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional. He has won two Gold Medallion Awards, four Ohio Associated Press awards, and a Selah "Book of the Year" honor. He and his wife make their home in Nevada.

Connect with Bob at bobhostetler.com to follow him on social media and sign up for email updates.

About the Illustrator

Benedetta Capriotti

Benedetta Capriotti was born in Italy, in a seaside town of the central region Marche. Since she was a child, she has had a great passion for drawing and art. In high school she would draw on Greek and Latin books, so she chose to attend a professional School of Fashion and Technical Drawing. Afterward she joined the Illustration class at the International School of Comics in Rome. In addition to drawing, she likes reading, traveling, and animals, and would like to live in the English countryside.

Connect with Benedetta on Instagram.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a print copy of I Dream a Dream for You and book-related goodies!

I Dream a Dream for You JustRead Tours blog giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 25, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 2, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours



Saturday, June 22, 2024

Book Tour & Excerpt: Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes






About the Book

When newcomer Mercy Windsor arrives in Mercy Peak in 1948 after a scandal shatters her gilded world as Hollywood's beloved leading lady, she is determined to forge a new life in obscurity in this time-forgotten Colorado haven. She purchases Wildwood--an abandoned estate with a haunting history--and begins to restore it to its former glory.

But as she does, her every move tugs at the threads of that mountain's lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal, Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Engine No. 8, which vanished years ago, along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention another fabled treasure that--if found--could right so many wrongs.

Among the towering mountains that stand as silent witnesses, the ghosts of the past entangle with the courage of the present to find a place where healing, friendship, and hope can abide amid a world forever changed.


Excerpt from Born of Gilded Mountains


“I—” She cleared her throat, put on a smile, told herself the old lie. I’m ready. “I’ll be fine.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Ain’t a soul stepped inside that place in years. Mr. Gilman was a strange one toward the end. And the house shows it.”

Mercy gulped. “How so?”

“Ever hear of the Winchester House?”

“The place with stairs and doors that lead nowhere?” California lore whose fame could rival the silver screen.

He nodded. “This here’s a bit like that. Mostly it’s just a big house, but Gilman got a little paranoid. He brought in a blacksmith from nobody-­knows-­where, in a private car, even though we got the best blacksmith right here in Mercy Peak. Made this place into something of a puzzle. The man had ghosts in his past, no doubt about it, and people think they finally caught up to him. He had his share of secrets, sure, but most just think he went a little crazy, in the end. Guilt, probably.”

“Guilt?”

Ralph waved. “You don’t want to know all that your first night here. You’ll get an earful from the town soon enough. And this place’ll clean up right nice.” His smile was unconvincing. “But if you need a place to stay till it’s fit for living, might be Miss Ellen in town has a room open. She poaches a mighty fine egg.”

Mercy faced the man and reached for his name in the place she filed them, carefully, in invisible rows. How many words had she memorized over the years? How many lines, in how many scripts? Too many to count. She’d decided early on that the least she could do was make names the first thing she remembered. People mattered, even if she was verifiably the most alone soul in the universe this evening.

“Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Mosely.” She pinched open her red clutch, pulling out a crisp bill and offering it.

The bearded man scuffed a foot awkwardly in the mud and waved off the gesture. “Aw,” he said, swatting his hand through the air, “no need, ma’am.”

“But you drove me all the way from the depot.”

“Folks around here take care of each other. Have to, or none of us would make it. Life in the Rockies can be . . . well, rocky.”

This, she knew. And hadn’t quite figured out yet how to make a home and stay hidden in a place where people knew things about one another.

“You call me Ralph, and you let me and my Nancy know whenever you need a thing,” he said. “We’re only two or three miles down the mountain.”

“Two or three miles,” she said, a laugh tumbling into her voice. When was the last time she’d been more than twenty feet from another human?

“Close, right?” Ralph grinned. “Once you leave town, folks are usually five or ten miles apart at least, on the old ranches and mining shanties. Tucked all up in these hollows and crannies. Just where you think a man’s never set foot, you’ll find a barn and a cabin and likely a warm fire most nights. There’s more people than you’d think out here. The folds of these mountains, they keep souls well. Done so for us, anyway.”

He stroked a beard as if wondering what to tell. “Listen, you holler if you need us, we’ll hear ya. Or just honk one of the horns in the old truck. Guess it’s yours now, too, eh?” The man seemed to be doing his best to tamp the slightest twinge of envy in his voice. He eyed the rusted green vehicle covered in brown pine needles and tucked against a pine tree outside of the estate’s rock wall, its front end poking forward like a curious onlooker. It was green like the woods, with a faded logo in goldenrod that said Legacy Timber. The logo struck Mercy with an odd familiarity, and she tipped her head, studying it.

“Beauty, isn’t she?” Ralph said. “Mr. Gilman leased some of the timberlands to that company. They stripped the forest, hauled the trees to who-­knows-­where, and left him with that broken-­down truck. Couple of the guys got it running at one point, but it’s been some time. Suppose . . . it’s yours now?” He seemed hopeful.

“I . . . suppose it is,” she said. Whole kit and caboodle, Kurt had said. Everything at Wildwood was hers. Her voice sounded so uncertain and suddenly Wilson P. Wilson’s voice was in her head. “You decide your tone, Mercy. You want to be the Queen of Sheba? Get that quaver out of her voice. You’re not a mouse, Mercy Windsor.” She certainly felt like one now, but she pulled back her shoulders and took a deep breath, her old trick to “get that quaver out.”

“Thank you, Ralph. I really do appreciate it.”

Ralph opened his own cab door, and it creaked so loud it set her teeth to clenching. “I’ll bring some dry firewood in the morning. Gets cold up here nights, ’specially March. Winter hangs onto spring for dear life.”

“That’s very kind. Thank you again for the warm welcome. You do Mercy Peak proud.”

His smile widened, and he doffed an old newsboy cap before ducking in and rumbling down the winding road, forgetting, thankfully, to inquire after her name.

If he’d asked, what would she have said? She had taken a great many roles over the years. Leading lady to Gable, Bogart, Stewart, Crosby.

But underneath all that . . . who was she?

Once, in another life, her name had been Marybeth Spatts.

She needed a place to call home.

But Rusty Bright, who’d promised her one . . . was dead.


From Born of Gilded Mountains © 2024, Amanda Dykes, published by Bethany House


About the Author
 
Amanda Dykes's debut novel, Whose Waves These Are, was the winner of the prestigious 2020 Christy Award Book of the Year, a Booklist 2019 Top Ten Romance debut, and the winner of an INSPY Award. She's also the author of All the Lost Places and Christy Award finalists Yours Is the Night and Set the Stars Alight. Find her online at AmandaDykes.com.